Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs
Posted by GlennApril 11-12 2008
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Friday:
Lihue, Kauai – 80
Honolulu, Oahu – 82
Kaneohe, Oahu – 78
Kahului, Maui – 80
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 79
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon:
Honolulu, Oahu – 83F
Hilo, Hawaii – 77
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 afternoon:
2.16 PRINCEVILLE AIRPORT, KAUAI
0.08 PUNALUU PUMP, OAHU
0.01 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.01 KAHOOLAWE
0.47 ULUPALAKUA, MAUI
0.26 WAIAKEA UKA, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1038 millibar high pressure system is located far to the north-northwest of Hawaii, with the weak tail-end of a cold front just north of Kauai. The winds will pick up in strength from the trade wind direction through the weekend.
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
Waterfall in the mountains of Kauai
Photo Credit: flickr.com
Stronger and gusty trade winds will present themselves this weekend across all the islands. Weather charts show an unusually robust high pressure system moving into the area north of Hawaii now. As this big high pressure cell gets into position, our trade winds will become quite strong and gusty. Small craft wind advisories have already been hoisted in some areas, which will extend over more of our marine waters this weekend.The computer forecast models suggest that these trade winds will remain active into the new week ahead.
The strengthening trade winds will carry passing showers onto our windward coasts and slopes. Weather maps show a cold front to the northwest of Kauai Friday evening, which will be pushed in our direction by the strengthening trade winds. As we move into the weekend, this frontal cloud band will move into the area somewhere just north of Kauai, which will provide windward showers to all the islands. These showers may be locally quite generous at times, lasting into next week.
It’s Friday evening as I begin updating this last section of today’s narrative. As described above, we’re going to be seeing a lot of the trade winds now, lasting well into the future. This is common during the spring months here in the islands. The one unusual aspect to this will occur over the weekend, when we see the rare appearance of such a strong high pressure system to our north. The actual numbers may not mean all that much to most of us, although those folks in the meteorology field will find the 1044 millibar rating very impressive. Normally a high pressure system like this would provide very strong and gusty trade winds to Hawaii. This time around though, with the tail-end of a cold front positioned just north of Kauai, it will help to shield us from what would otherwise be exceptionally blustery winds.
Meanwhile, the high cirrus clouds that have kept our famous Hawaiian sunshine to a minimum lately, is thinning to some extent. Here’s a looping satellite image, which shows that we still have more of that high level moisture being pulled up over Hawaii by the strong winds aloft. It looks like the thickest part of this veil of cirrus clouds may be done with us though.
At lower levels of the atmosphere, down here where the trade winds are blowing, they will carry showery clouds to our windward sides. This hasn’t started in any significant way just yet, although once the aforementioned cloud band to our north and northwest, drops further south…its moisture will make our trade winds at least somewhat wetter. The bulk of this moisture will fall along the windward sides, although a few stray showers will likely find their way over to the leeward sides in places on the smaller islands.
~~~ We’re having a difficult time getting rid of the prolonged period of sun dimming high cloudiness. Friday saw some clearing at times, although just when it seemed like they would be gone, another broad area of cirrus slid between us and the sun.
I’m about ready to leave Kihei, taking the drive over to Kahului, Maui. I have plans to see a new film this evening, called Street Kings (2008), starring Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker, among others. In Street Kings, a police thriller directed by David Ayer, Keanu Reeves plays Tom Ludlow, a veteran LAPD Vice Detective. Ludlow sets out on a quest to discover the killers of his former partner. Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker plays Captain Wander, Ludlow’s supervisor, whose duties include keeping him within the confines of the law and out of the clutches of Internal Affairs. Ludlow teams up with a young Robbery Homicide Detective to track Washington’s killers through the diverse communities of Los Angeles. Their determination pays off when the two Detectives track down Washington’s murderers and confront them in an attempt to bring them to justice.
My understanding is that this film can easily be described as an ultra-violent flick. I must admit, after seeing the trailer, I’m intimidated by this aspect of this bad cop film! Speaking of trailers, I’d prefer to not put a link to it, as the subject matter is just too intense for the general public! Street Kings is being called a drama, thiller and crime/gangster film. I’ll let you know what I think, and how shocked I was, when I return early Saturday morning with your next new weather narrative then. Aloha for now…Glenn.
Interesting: U.S. West Coast fisheries managers recommended on Thursday to halt virtually all commercial and sport salmon fishing in coastal waters off California and most of Oregon to preserve collapsing Chinook salmon stocks. The Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended what would be the strictest limits ever imposed on salmon fishing on the West Coast following a sharp decline on
Interesting2: Scrubbing the tub and other forms of housework may clean your house and boost your mood. In fact, as little as 20 minutes of any kind of physical activity a week helped mental health, although the more vigorous the activity, the greater the benefit, said the authors of a study published online Thursday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. "There’s such a pervasive feeling in this country that, if there’s a problem, there’s always a pill to fix it," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at
Interesting3: The gas-spouting vent inside Halemaumau Crater (on the Big Island) blew up again recently, sending hot rocks and pieces of natural glass melting through plastic containers placed to collect volcanic ash, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted. A previous explosion on March 19 widened and opened a vent that was already releasing up to 2,500 metric tons of sulfur dioxide. "Based on field observations, the explosion ejected considerably less rocky material than the March 19 event," the observatory said. The Wednesday explosion was "considerably smaller," it said. But the effects were still noticed in distant Pahala. "Hawaii County Civil Defense received reports of ash fall in Pahala, suggesting that tiny fragments of rock pulverized by the explosion were carried downwind at least 19 miles," the observatory said. The explosion took place at 11:08 p.m. When morning arrived, scientists discovered that the debris included "volcanic glass shards" blasted 230 feet up from near the bottom of the crater. Another find was a rock blasted from the crater pit about 8 by 8 by 14 inches, they said. The blast blew away a rock ledge that separated the vent from the crater floor, enlarging the vent by as much as 30 feet. The growing size of the vent has scientists watching for an full-scale eruption of lava, although only spatters of molten rock have so far been seen.
Interesting4: China is preparing an arsenal of rockets and aircraft to protect the Olympics opening ceremony from rain, hoping to disperse clouds before they can drench dignitaries at the roofless "bird’s nest" stadium. Officials believe there is a 47 percent probability of rain during the August 8 opening ceremony and a 6 percent chance of a heavy downpour and will try to drain humidity from clouds before they reach
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