Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennMarch 13-14 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Tuesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 82F
Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kaneohe, Oahu – 83
Kahului, Maui – 77
Hilo, Hawaii – 86
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 79
Temperatures early Wednesday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Kaneohe, Oahu – 76F
Hilo, Hawaii – 68
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Wednesday morning:
0.22 OMAO, KAUAI
0.31 WAIAWA, OAHU
0.14 MOLOKAI
1.02 LANAI
0.21 KAHOOLAWE
0.46 PUU KUKUI, MAUI
0.81 KAHUA RANCH, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a cold front slowly moving down through the state from the NW. Winds will be southerly and SW ahead of the cold front…turning NW and north behind the frontal cloud band. 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.
A cold front is moving slowly down through the Hawaiian Island chain. This weather feature has our local winds blowing in from the south through SW Kona direction statewide, becoming locally strong and gusty ahead of the front. The frontal cloud band is bringing a period of rain with it, and given its "slow motion" progress, there will be locally heavy rains, with flooding not out of the question. As a result, the NWS forecast office in Honolulu is keeping a flash flood watch in effect for both Kauai and Oahu…which would be upgraded to a flash flood warning if heavy rains concentrate their efforts in any one area. The island of Lanai became just such a place during the day Tuesday for a time.
It appears that most of the heaviest rain from the cold front will be deposited over Kauai and Oahu. Despite that fact, there will be periods of prefrontal showers for the islands of Maui County, some could be locally heavy. The Big Island, the most southerly island in the Hawaiian Island chain, will see some showers as well, but it may be a token gesture (compared to the other islands) by the time the front dissipates or stalls there in a couple of days. Things can change of course, so that Maui and the Big island may get more than currently expected…only time will tell.
Towards the end of the work week, and into the weekend, the cold front should be done with us…with improving weather riding in on the trade winds then. In the wake of the frontal passage, our winds will veer around to the north and NE. This will take place on Kauai and Oahu first, then Maui, and finally the Big Island by Friday. The trade winds will usher in drier air, and a fairly nice late winter trade wind weather pattern the result. This pleasant outlook will extend into at least the beginning of the following work week. The trade winds typically present the leeward sides with lots of sunshine, with a few passing showers falling along the windward slopes and coasts.
It’s early Tuesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this sunset commentary. It certainly isn’t a banner example of a sunset however, as there are tons of clouds about this evening. So that you can see just how much cloudiness that I’m talking about, here’s a looping satellite image for you to keep track of the cold front’s cloud band as it works its way down towards Oahu. As rainfall is expected, I think it would be a good idea to include this looping radar image as well, so that you can keep an eye on where the heaviest rainfall is occurring. If you’re here in the islands, it would be good to remember that roads get slippery, and with all the focused showers now taking aim on our islands, there will be some ponding of roadways, and perhaps even flash flooding to deal with at times. Another note of caution as well, a storm which had hurricane force winds this past weekend, has generated a very large NW swell in our direction. Wednesday will dawn with near giant surf breaking along our north and west facing beaches, so be very careful when getting near the ocean in those areas! I hope you have a great Tuesday night wherever you happen to be reading from. Aloha for now…Glenn.
Note: Due to popular demand (over the years) there’s been added a small picture of myself in the upper right hand corner of this page. Now at least you can put a face [or at least the side of a face] to these weather narratives.
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