Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennNovember 17-18 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday:
Lihue, Kauai – 82
Honolulu, Oahu – 85
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 5 a.m. Sunday morning:
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 Sunday morning:
0.06 MOLOAA DAIRY, KAUAI
0.36 OAHU FOREST NWR, OAHU
0.13 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.15 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
2.70 HILO AIRPORT, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – A weak frontal cloud band will move into the state Sunday, with cooler north to NE winds channeling across the state through Monday. 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.
Green Sea Turtles basking in the moonlight
along the rocky shores during the early
evening hours…white spots in the distance
photo credit: flickr.com
The Hawaiian Islands will be experiencing some distinct weather changes Sunday, into the new week ahead. The most recent computer forecast models are sticking together with a more unified outlook through the next week…although there remains day to day deviations involved. I’ve broken the days down individually for clarification, as lots of things will be happening…this is how it looks at the moment:
Saturday evening – a transition period between our fair weather trade wind pattern, and the approach of a frontal cloud band to our northwest. The winds will remain on the light side, although could become stronger now into Monday as the front moves through the island chain. Satellite imagery shows some moisture heading towards the Big Island, so that may be the most shower prone area in the island chain. The band of clouds, now called a shearline, will begin moving into the Kauai end of the state late tonight…which will bring showers to that northwestern most island as well.
Sunday – a rather weak cloud band will move down through the island chain, that is if it doesn’t stall along the way through the Aloha state. This band of clouds will bring some showers with it, with the most generous amounts likely restricted to the windward sides of the islands. Meanwhile, an area of cold air, called a trough of low pressure aloft, will help to destabilize our overlying atmosphere. This in turn could trigger some localized heavier showers Sunday into Monday. There may be enough cold air aloft to bring some snow to the summits on the Big Island. Back down at the surface, our winds will become north to NE in the wake of the frontal cloud band, which will bring a chill to the air for islanders.
Monday through Wednesday – it appears that unsettled weather will prevail during this outer forecast period. "Unsettled weather" in this case, simply means that there will be a continued chance of scattered showers around. The winds will remain from the north to NE direction during the first half of the new 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 this time period…with a continuation of the first chilly weather of the autumn season.
Thanksgiving through Friday – it has been touch and go with this extended forecast period, and still isn’t completely clear about what will happen then…although now it appears that the unsettled weather, with its off and on showery weather could continue. The truth is that it’s still too far out into the future to say for sure, although it would certainly be nice to bring good weather back for that important holiday. We’ll have to fine tune this outlook over the next few days.
It’s Saturday evening here in islands, as I start writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. As you can see from reading down through the weather paragraphs above, we have some changes that we’re about to embark on. This isn’t all that unusual for the deeper autumn month of November, as conditions change more often, at least compared to the more placid summer months. I still don’t see any overly serious weather problems through the next week however, although it will remain changable and probably more showery than usual. ~~~ Last evening I saw one of the new films playing in Kahului, Maui, called Into the Wild. This film is about a young man who 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 very much enjoyed this film, which was very engaging, and touching at the same time. I happened to read the book version of this story, written by Jon Krakauer, and had just finished it, when I found out that there was a movie version. If this sounds like a good film for you, try viewing the trailer. ~~~ I think it’s about time to include a link to this animated satellite image, so you can track the clouds as they sweep down through the islands from Kauai to Maui, perhaps skidding to a stop before arriving on the Big Island. In addition, it seems appropriate to add this looping radar image as well, so you can keep an eye on where the showers are falling now too. It’s just before sunset here in Kula, Maui, as I finish up this latest weather updating, finishing off this really nice Saturday in fine fashion…playing Pink Floyd a little too loud perhaps. I will be back early Sunday morning with your next update, I hope you have a great Saturday night wherever you happen to be having fun now! Aloha for now…Glenn.
Email Glenn James: 
