Weather Details and Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennDecember 6-7 2006
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Wednesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 79F
Honolulu, Oahu – 85
Kaneohe, Oahu – 80
Kahului, Maui – 82
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83
Temperatures early Thursday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Kahului airport, Maui – 75F
Hilo airport – 69F
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Thursday morning:
0.36 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.05 NUUANU UPPER, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.26 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.34 HONOKAA, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a weakening shearline moving into the islands Thursday, where it will stall near Maui. A following 1026 millibar high pressure system, now to the NW of our islands, will be moving by to the north. The net effect will be for increasing trade winds into Friday. Here’s a Weather Map Symbol page for clarification about what all those weather symbols mean on the map.
Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of near 14,000 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. The tallest peak on the island of Maui is the Haleakala Crater, which is near 10,000 feet in elevation. These two webcams are available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon rising just after sunset for an hour or two! Plus, during the nights and early mornings you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise too…depending upon cloud conditions.
Satellite Images – To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with the Infrared Satellite Image of the islands to see all the clouds around the state during the day and night. This next image is one that gives close images of the islands only during the daytime hours, and is referred to as a Close-up visible image. This next image shows a larger view of the Pacific…giving perspective to the wider ranging cloud patterns in the Pacific Ocean…out from the islands. To help you keep track of where any showers may be around the islands, here’s the latest animated radar image.
Aloha Paragraphs
Photo Credit: Flikr.com
The trade winds remained on the light side of the wind spectrum most of Wednesday, then began to surge during the afternoon and evening hours…ushering in cooler air. Our trade wind producing high pressure ridge had been forced well south of its normal position by a dynamic late autumn storm low pressure system in the Gulf of Alaska. This southern displacement kept our trade winds quite light the last few days. The forecast shows trade wind strengths rebounding now, staying rather blustery through the rest of this week. Small craft advisory flags will go up over the marine environment as these fresh trade winds fill in.
The increasingly strong trade winds will carry in an increase in showers to the windward sides at times. We’ll see a shearline cloud band get pushed by just to the north of the island chain Wednesday evening into Thursday, riding in on the leading edge of this new trade wind burst. The leeward sides will remain dry, although with the trade winds getting stronger now, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a few stray showers flying over there on the lower mountains on the smaller islands here and there too.
Meanwhile, the big news in the world of weather will be occurring along our north and NW shores…as the season’s first winter storm waves arrive soon. Weather maps show a very deep storm spinning in the Gulf of Alaska…which has been generating large swell trains of waves in our general direction. The first swell will arrive later Wednesday into Thursday, with more large to very large surf episodes pounding our shores through the rest of the week. A high surf warning flag has already been hoisted along those north and NW shores from Kauai to Maui. Please use caution if you find yourself at a beach were rough surf is breaking. More people die from high surf than any other natural hazard here in Hawaii!
The surf community is buzzing with anticipation of the large waves that are heading our way along the north and NW shores! This will be a time when the jet skis will likely be pulling riders into very large waves. There may be helicopters flying overhead all the action, with photographers hanging out the doors with video cameras. Lots of experienced watermen live for these large surf episodes…it makes for exciting viewing for everyone else, poised on the cliffs and beaches watching in awe!
It’s early Wednesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this post sunset commentary. I was a little surprised to see all the clouds late this afternoon, taking a free ride into the state on the strengthening trade winds. The so called weak shearline (cloud band), which is being pushed into the state, has a little more punch than was expected. I started to run into a few sprinkles on the drive between Kihei and Puunene, and then coming up the Haleakala Highway I found myself using my windshield wipers more and more. As I drove up from Pukalani towards Kula, those showers turned heavier, being blown around by the gusty winds. When I got home I found cool temperatures, cloudy skies, but no wind or showers. It didn’t take long before they arrived here too…with my chimes at the moment, singing a windy song! I had to shut my windward windows in this weather tower just now. The truth is that all this has surprised me to some extent, in a good way that is…as I love these weather changes! It’s fully windy out there, which is quite a treat. I hope you have a great Wednesday night, whether its windy where you are or not. I’ll be back very early Thursday morning with your next weather narrative. Aloha for now…Glenn.
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