June 1-2 2008


Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Sunday: 

Lihue, Kauai – 85
Honolulu, Oahu – 87
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kahului, Maui – 85 
Hilo, Hawaii – 84
Kailua-kona – 85

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon:

Honolulu, Oahu – 85F  
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 Sunday afternoon:

0.12  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.00 Oahu
0.00 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.01 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.07 Pahoa, Big Island

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems strung out to the north-northeast through northeast of the state of Hawaii now. These high pressure cells, along with their associated ridges, will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing across the state Monday and Tuesday…locally strong and gusty in those windiest areas.

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

The image “http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/411725419_4cb20a2e84.jpg?v=0” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
A good place to hang out…on the island of Kauai
Photo Credit: flickr.com

The trade winds continue to be the dominant weather feature here in Hawaii for the time being. These trades are strong enough, that small craft wind advisory flags remain up in the windiest places around Maui and the Big Island. The latest forecast calls for these stronger than normal trades to drop back down into the more normal moderately strong realms in a couple of days. There continues to be no end in sight to these late spring trade winds.

There will be little change in the dry weather we’ve seen all week. The windward sides will pick up whatever few showers that are around. The leeward sides will find dry weather, with plenty of sunshine…although Kona may see a few afternoon showers. We still expect to see a modest increase in showers later Monday evening into Tuesday, as the moisture associated with an old cold front gets carried onto the windward sides.

~~~ As mentioned in the paragraph above, there’s a retired cold front that’s been hanging out to the north and northeast of the islands most of this week. The computer forecast models continue showing that the remnant moisture will get carried our way on the trade winds starting later Monday. This isn’t going to be a gully washer by any means, but due to the dry weather conditions that prevail here in the islands…we have our hopes up for at least some showers arriving.

~~~ It’s been an unusally warm afternoon up here in Kula, Maui. Skies have been partly cloudy, while down near the beaches, its been mostly sunny. There hasn’t been very many showers, as a matter of fact, almost all rain gauges remained dry during the day. Glancing at my thermometer, the outside air temperature is 71F degrees later Sunday afternoon here at my place. The temperature inside my weather tower, with all the windows open, is an even warmer 79 degrees, which is a little warmer than usual at this elevation. There are many indicators that summer is upon us, or will be in about three weeks at least. This being the first day of June, one would expect summer-like weather conditions to prevail down here in the tropics.

~~~ The weather models are still showing that later in the upcoming week, we will see an area of low pressure approaching from the east. This would act to rise our trade wind inversion layer, with thicker clouds the result. This could provide a second increase in trade wind showers, along the windward sides, for the new week ahead. Counter-balancing this somewhat wetter outlook, is the fact that June is the driest month of the year here in Hawaii. We’ll just have to wait and see how much moisture we can wring-out of the skies starting Monday night, and then again right after mid-week…lets hope at least some! I’ll be back very early Monday morning with your next new edition of the weather narrative from paradise. I hope you have a great Sunday night until. Aloha for now…Glenn.