Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennJune 28-29 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Thursday:
Lihue, Kauai – 84F
Honolulu, Oahu – 86
Kaneohe, Oahu – 83
Kahului, Maui – 85
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 88
Temperatures early Friday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Lihue, Kauai – 76F
Hilo airport – 71
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Friday morning:
1.00 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.43 OAHU FOREST NWR, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.77 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.91 PIIHONUA, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a rather strong 1035 millibar high pressure system far to the NNW of Hawaii. The trade winds will remain strong and gusty Friday over Hawaii’s coastal waters most exposed to the trade wind flow…gradually getting lighter this weekend. 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.
Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
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.
Ripening Hawaiian Papayas…
The trade winds will remain stronger than usual through Friday here in the Hawaiian Islands. The latest weather map shows a 1036 millibar high pressure system centered to the NW of Kauai. Our local winds are expected to remain blustery for another few days. The trade winds will remain active through the rest of this month…gradually getting lighter this weekend into next week.
Satellite imagery shows quite a few clouds around the 50th state now, some of which will drop showers along the windward coasts and slopes. This will leave the leeward sides mostly dry, although the Kona coast will receive a few late in the day upslope showers. There are no organized rainy areas taking aim on our islands at this time, so we can expect just the usual overnight showers to spill along the windward coasts and slopes for the most part.
The south and west facing leeward beaches will start to see rising surf later Thursday into Friday. A major storm last week down near New Zealand, which had hurricane force winds at one point, generated this larger than normal swell train of waves in our direction. There will actually be two parts to this surf event, the first starting soon, with a second, potentially larger second aspect arriving early next week. Folks using our local beaches, especially those not used to being in large waves…should exercise caution when entering the ocean where that type of surf is breaking.
It’s Thursday here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. A wild fire started in the Olowalu area here on Maui Wednesday morning, which quickly spread due to the strong and gusty winds that are blowing. This fire was reported burning on both sides of the major highway going between Lahaina and Maalaea. There were stranded motorists when the highway was closed. At last report one house had been burned, with 10 people displaced. This is one of several fires that have occurred over the last year or two in that general area, on the south and west facing slopes of the West Maui Mountains. Fortunately the fire came under control enough that the road between Lahaina and the rest of the island was opened again Thursday afternoon. ~~~ The smoke from this fire, in addition to the vast amounts of dust, made for a very hazy close of the day Wednesday on Maui. The smoke of course was caused by the fire, and the dust was being whipped up by the strong and gusty winds…picked up from recently harvest sugar cane fields…many of which have been burned lately in the central valley. Skies cleared out in most areas Thursday, as the Olowalu fire moved towards totally containment. The streaky high cirrus clouds will make for a great sunset, and more than likely a nice sunrise again Friday morning. Speaking of Friday, I’ll be back early in the morning with your next weather narrative then. I hope you have a great Thursday night wherever you happen to be! ~~~ Aloha for now…Glenn.
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