Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs
Posted by GlennJanuary 3-4 2008
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Thursday:
Lihue, Kauai – 77
Honolulu, Oahu – 77
Kaneohe, Oahu – 75
Kahului, Maui – 74
Hilo, Hawaii – 76
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 81
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 4 a.m. Friday morning:
Lihue, Kauai – 72F
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 Friday morning:
0.48 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
2.33 OAHU FOREST NWR, OAHU
0.02 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.34 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.70 KAMUELA UPPER, BIG ISLAND
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.
Weather Chart – A 1026 millibar high pressure system is now located to the NNW of Hawaii Friday. Our local winds will blow in the moderately strong proportions from the ENE, gradually turning east into Saturday. 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.
A perfect example of how gentle the islands can be
photo credit: flickr.com
Island skies are finally free of the long lasting high cirrus clouds, although the windward sides continue to see low clouds carried in our direction on the trade winds…leaving the leeward sides nice and sunny now. Those ever present sun dimming high cirrus clouds are now located well to the south of the Big Island, as this IR satellite image shows. This is good news for our local sun worshippers, not to mention all the visitors from afar, who have getting a sun tan, strongly on their minds! Those windward areas, which have been putting up with too many passing showers the last couple of weeks, will have to deal with off and on light showers or drizzle for another couple of days.
It’s Thursday evening here in the islands, as I begin writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. Our local weather will continue to show a difference between the windward and leeward sides of the islands. The windward sections are those that face into the trade winds, and often more cloudy, with off and on passing showers. In contrast, the leeward sides are sheltered from the incoming winds and showers, leaving them often warmer and more sunny. At any rate, we’ll see pretty status quo conditions through the next couple of days in this regard. As we get to Sunday and beyond, our winds are expected to swing around to the SE and get lighter then. Whatever showers that are around will end up falling along the east and SE exposures of the islands. At the same time, the daytime heating of the islands may cause afternoon cloud buildups over and around the mountains on the smaller islands, where showers could spill. ~~~ Thursday was one of those near perfect days here on Maui, where sunny skies took hold, and just wouldn’t let go…even on the windward coasts and slopes! It was so good to see a clear sky day for a change. The NE breezes kept the air temperatures a little on the cool side, with most sea level locations topping out in the upper 70F’s for the most part. The very warmest locations, like the Kona coast on the Big Island, reaching up to the 80F degree mark, or perhaps a degree or two more in those absolute warmest spots. ~~~ I’ll be back very early Friday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Thursday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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