Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs
Posted by GlennNovember 16-17 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Friday:
Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 85
Kaneohe, Oahu – 81
Kahului, Maui – 85
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 5 a.m. Saturday morning:
Lihue, Kauai – 76F
Hilo, Hawaii – 64
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Saturday morning:
0.45 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.18 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.02 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.05 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.11 GLENWOOD, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – A high pressure system far to the ENE of the islands, has a weakening ridge of high pressure stretched out from its center…into the area NE of Hawaii. Gale low pressure systems in the middle latitudes will push this high pressure ridge southward towards Hawaii…with a corresponding drop in trade wind speeds Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map. 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.
The incredibly beautiful road to Hana, Maui
photo credit: flickr.com
The winds around the Hawaiian Islands will be going through some changes over the next several days…generally remaining on the light side however. The most recent computer forecast models continue to change their minds…pretty much on a daily basis! This makes it a little difficult to get a good handle on exactly what will be taking place during the next week in terms of our local weather conditions. Although as best as I can translate this information to you, it looks like this:
Friday – a nice day, with the trade winds continuing the light to moderately strong realms. Storminess in the middle latitudes of the north Pacific however will help to push our trade wind producing high pressure ridge down closer to the islands soon. This in turn will soften our local winds, although keep them coming out of the trade wind direction. Whatever showers that will be around will fall mostly along the windward sides.
Saturday – another good day, although a transition day between our trade wind weather pattern, and the approach of a rather weak cold front to our northwest. The winds will remain on the light side, although the weather in general will remain dry in most areas. This cold front will begin moving into the Kauai end of the state during the night…bringing showers to that northwestern most island first.
Sunday – a not very aggressive cloud band will move down through the island chain…that is if it doesn’t stall before arriving. This band of clouds however will bring some showers with it, with the most generous amounts likely restricted to the windward sides of the islands. Perhaps the most notable thing about this weak cold front will be the cool north to NE breezes that will filter into the state in its wake.
Monday through Friday – this is where it gets more tricky, although it appears that somewhat unsettled weather will prevail during this extended forecast period. The models have been doing a good bit of flip flopping in regards to this time frame, that’s for sure. "Unsettled weather" in this case, simply means that there will be an increased chance of scattered showers around. The winds will remain from the NE direction during the first half of next week, with the best chance of showers focused over the windward sections. An upper level trough of low pressure may trigger a few heavy showers during the first several days of the new week. We’ll have to fine tune will happen during the Thanksgiving holiday as we move through the next few days.
It’s Friday evening here in islands, as I start writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. As you can tell from reading down through the weather paragraphs above, if you had the time or inclination, there is still a fair amount of uncertainty about what is on our weather horizon up ahead. This isn’t all that unusual for the deeper autumn month of November, as conditions change more suddenly, and without as much warning, as during the more placid summer season. I will do my best to pick through all the various weather information sources to keep you abreast of the latest changes. I still don’t see any serious weather problems through the next week however, although it will remain changable. ~~~ This evening I’ll be seeing one of the new films playing at a theatre in Kahului, called Into the Wild. This film is about a young man abandons his possessions, gives his entire savings to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. "Freshly graduated from college with a promising future, 22 year-old Christopher McCandless instead walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people. I’ll be back later in the day with some further details, including my evening plans for after work." If this sounds like your cup of tea, try viewing this trailer. ~~~ I’ll be back early Saturday morning with your next weather narrative updates. I hope you have a great Friday night wherever you happen to be spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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