Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennOctober 3-4 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Wednesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 83F
Honolulu, Oahu – 86
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 86
Temperatures early Thursday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Kaneohe, Oahu – 78F
Hilo, Hawaii – 69
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:
0.71 HANALEI RIVER, KAUAI
0.75 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.12 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
1.85 PUU KUKUI, MAUI
1.16 WAIAKEA UKA, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a strong 1035 millibar high pressure system located far north of the islands. This pressure configuration will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing across our marine environment through Friday…stronger and gusty in those usual windier places. 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. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean.
Satellite and Radar 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.
Lava rock coast
photo credit: flickr.com
Trade winds, trade winds…and more trade winds well into the future here in the Hawaiian Islands. The latest weather map shows a strong 1036 millibar high pressure system cemented into place far to the NNE of the islands Wednesday evening. This trade wind producing high pressure cell will keep moderate trade winds blowing, although locally quite strong and gusty in those typically windier locations around the Aloha state. A small craft wind advisory remains in place across those windiest coastal areas of the state…including all the major channels.
The blustery trade winds will continue to carry clouds in our direction, with showers falling most frequently along the windward coasts and slopes. The leeward areas, where most of the resorts are located, will be mostly dry, although the winds may be strong enough to carry a few showers into those areas on the smaller islands. The Kona coast and slopes of the Big Island may see a few showers falling during the afternoons into night locally as well. Meanwhile, there will continue to be at least some form of streaky high cirrus clouds streaming by locally, especially on the Kauai end of the state.
It’s Wednesday evening as I begin writing this last paragraph of todays weather narrative. As noted in the first paragraph above, the trade winds will continue to be the primary driver in our local Hawaiian Island weather picture for the time being. This time of year it’s not too unusual to start seeing the trade winds faltering at times, at least compared to during the summer months. Consulting with the latest computer forecast models, I still don’t see a break in the steady trade wind flow up ahead…although they should begin to ease back a little in strength by the middle of next week. ~~~ As this looping satellite image shows, we still have a long lasting trough of low pressure to our west and NW. This is that area of bright white clouds on the other side of Kauai that you see. Those clouds, oriented more or less north to south, are producing some rainfall, falling over the ocean out there. Although, the bulk of that cloudy area consists of high and middle level clouds. The cirrus clouds, the high ones, continue to make it to the Kauai and Oahu end of the state, and depending upon the upper level jet stream winds…could bring more serious cirrus clouds to the rest of the state with time. ~~~ I got an email from a friend who lives in Sonoma County, California this morning, asking if I was gone on vacation already…in my mind? Well, I must admit that I have been flashing on that the last several days. I’ve begun checking in with the San Francisco NWS office reports, checking to see what kind of weather that I can expect when I arrive there this Saturday evening, starting my three week vacation. More importantly though, is wondering at what stage the yellowing of the Aspen leaves will be at when I get up into the High Sierra for a three day camping trip right in the heart of an Aspen grove next Thursday! ~~~ At any rate, I hope you have a great Wednesday evening wherever you may be reading from…and look for some good sunset colors, and again for a colorful sunrise Thursday morning! I’ll be back early Thursday morning with your next brand new weather narrative from paradise. Aloha for now…Glenn.
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