Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs
Posted by GlennApril 10-11 2008
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Thursday:
Lihue, Kauai – 80
Honolulu, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – 77
Kahului, Maui – 84
Hilo, Hawaii – 77
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 82
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon:
Honolulu, Oahu – 82F
Lihue, Kauai – 74
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 afternoon:
0.52 WAINIHA, KAUAI
0.10 KAMEHAME, OAHU
0.06 MOLOKAI
0.05 LANAI
0.02 KAHOOLAWE
1.50 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.71 WAIKII, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1032 millibar high pressure system is located far to the northeast of Hawaii, with the weak tail-end of a cold front NW of Kauai. The winds will pick up in strength from the trade wind direction…strengthening Saturday.
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.
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.
Aloha Paragraphs
Hawaiian beach hula
Photo Credit: Randy Jay Braun
The trade winds have come back Thursday, and will strengthen Friday. The trade winds are gaining ground now, which is helping to blow away the volcanic haze that plagued the entire state of Hawaii recently. This haze was washed out of the air a bit recently, with the light rain that fell in many areas…with the trade winds now continuing. The computer forecast models suggest that the trade winds will become fresh and gusty as we get into the weekend, remaining active into next week.
A trough of low pressure is losing its influence with the threat of heavy showers fading quickly. This trough, now closest to the island of Kauai, will keep both that island most shower prone for the time being. As we move into the upcoming weekend, a frontal cloud band will move into the area between Kauai and Oahu, which will provide windward showers to all the islands. These showers may be locally quite generous, although flash flooding isn’t expected.
It’s Thursday evening as I begin updating this last section of today’s narrative. We’ve had some interesting weather circumstances during the last couple of days. A trough of low pressure moved through the state on Tuesday, which wasn’t all that big a deal. When it settled into the area west and northwest of the Aloha state however on Wednesday, that’s when we saw quite a change occur. Adding to the influence of the trough, was an upper level low pressure system, which formed at the base of the trough…to the southwest of Hawaii. This low pressure area drew in lots of tropical moisture, and with the cold air aloft, destabilized our local atmosphere. This rich moisture fed the showers, which at times expanded into thunderstorms.
As you can see from the looping satellite image just below, we still have quite a bit of high level cirrus clouds streaming northward over the islands. The looping radar image below, shows that there is still quite a bit of shower activity in the vicinity, although now to the north of Hawaii…and moving away.
Here’s the looping satellite image
Here’s the looping radar image
Thursday began on rather a threatening note, although ended up being actually not too bad. The majority of the showers that fell, did so on the island of Oahu, and then later over Kauai. The threat of heavy showers is fading quickly, which is good news. The trade winds are filtering into the state from the Big Island end of the chain, and will encompass the entire state Friday. This will bring drier air, and help to ventilate the atmosphere of the hazy conditions in most areas. The Kau District on the Big Island may remain hazy with volcanic haze unfortunately.
The next thing we have to worry about, not really worry, but keep in mind…is the approach of a cold front to our NW. This weather map shows this cold front, whose leading edge is around 550 miles NW of Kauai. Weather models show a very strong near 1040 millibar to the NW of this cold front. As this new trade wind producing high pressure system gets closer to the islands, to our north, a surge of trade winds will carry what’s left of this front over Kauai…which will be called a shearline then. So, besides the stronger and gusty winds, we’ll see an increase in windward biased showers arriving. The strength of the trade winds may be able to carry a few of these windward showers into the leeward sides on the smaller islands.
Looking even further ahead, towards the middle of next week, would be the next time that could present another fairly major change in our weather…which may or may not manifest as some of the models are describing. At least some of the computers are showing an upper low pressure system edging in close to the islands. This in turn, again if it happens, could destabilize our local atmosphere again then. We could see another go around with lots of high clouds, locally heavy showers, or even thunderstorms. It will take a few more days, but by the weekend, it would become more clear whether or not this will happen.
~~~ I’ll be back very early Friday morning with your next new weather narrative. By the way, with all this interesting weather happening here in Hawaii now, Wednesday found this website receiving 19,103 hits…with 14,266 hits as of Thursday evening…thanks for your readership! I hope you have a great Thursday night wherever you happen to be spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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