July 17-18 2008


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

Lihue, Kauai – 86
Honolulu, Oahu – 89
Kaneohe, Oahu – 83
Kahului, Maui – 88
Hilo, Hawaii – 84
Kailua-kona – 84

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

Honolulu, Oahu – 87F  
Lihue, Kauai – 81

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 morning:

0.95  Lihue, Kauai
0.17 Punaluu Pump, Oahu
0.00 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
1.08 Puu Kukui, Maui
1.91 Waiakea Uka, Big Island

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems stretched out north through far NE of Hawaii. These trade wind producing high pressure cells will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing across our tropical latitudes, with stronger gusts in those windiest areas…including the major channels between the islands. Here’s a link to the NOAA weather school.

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. 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 weather conditions.

Aloha Paragraphs


http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1342/539171360_a0b1950ede.jpg?v=0
Full moon skies in Hawaii
Photo Credit: Flickr.com







Our local trade winds have increased in strength as expected. These stronger wind speeds have triggered small craft wind advisory flags in those windiest coastal and channel waters…from Oahu down through Maui to the Big Island. This has been quite a change from the lighter than normal winds that we saw for much of the last week and more. The latest computer forecast models show these gusty trade winds staying active right on into next week…and potentially longer.

These more forceful trade winds will carry showers our way at times. The bulk of these showers will end up falling along the windward coasts and slopes…most generously during the nights and early morning hours. The inversion layer is still quite high, capping the clouds at near 11,000 to 12,000 feet. This simply means that cloud tops will be allowed to grow somewhat higher than normal…enhancing the showers at times. The computer models are still showing a decent chance of increased windward biased showers this weekend. We might see another more organized increase in showers next week, from moisture arriving from what will then be former hurricane Elida. By the way, here is a current storm track map for Elida and Fausto.

~~~ The surf is up along our leeward beaches, with swells continuing to roll our way from the southern hemisphere. These waves aren’t large enough to warrant a high surf advisory for our south and west facing beaches. They do however, bring lots of fun riding for the surfing community, and are great fun for just about everyone wanting to splash around in those warm water waves! There are still some beaches that are near flat, without that wave action, which will keep the snorkelers and divers happy too. There’s something for everyone here in Hawaii!

~~~ If you happen to be outside tonight, you will have the pleasure of witnessing the July full moon. The fullest extent of this celestial occurrence will be around 10pm Thursday night, when our nearby neighbor will be at its brightest and most full phase. A friend of mine mentioned to beware of aberrant behavior during the full moon, or revel in it…whichever the case may be. Personally, I think I’ll just go out on my weather deck tonight, and enjoy the glow of this once a month spectacle.

~~~ We finally got some added moisture into our area, thanks to the returning trade winds. They’ve begun to carry showery clouds in our direction, which is a great thing! This shower activity will continue in an off and on fashion during the rest of the week, hopefully more on than off as we move into the weekend time frame. The computer models continue to suggest that we’ll see a possible further increase in windward showers, even more than what would be normal for this time of year next week. As I mentioned above, the remnant moisture from (what will then be) former hurricane Elida, may move into the Aloha state around next Wednesday or so. There’s a chance that leftover moisture from (what will then be) former hurricane Fausto might arrive eventually too. Neither of these is a sure thing, although Elida’s moisture has the best chance of arriving as it looks now. At any rate, I hope you have a great, bright Thursday night, what with the full moon and all, and that you will meet me here again on Friday, when I’ll have your new weather narrative from paradise waiting for you. Aloha for now…Glenn.







Interesting: New York City’s yellow taxi fleet now will go green at the rate of 300 new hybrid cars a month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday, citing an agreement with car-makers to supply the fuel-light cabs. There are already more than 1,300 hybrid taxis in the city, and each one saves its drivers about $6,500 a year, Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman Matthew Daus said in a joint statement with the mayor. Bloomberg aims to accomplish 127 green initiatives before his second and final four-year term ends in 2010. In December, the Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to require all vehicles that join the taxi fleet to be hybrids by October 1. The only exception is for cabs specially equipped for the handicapped.

Nissan Motor Co has promised the city to supply up to 200 of its Altima hybrids per month, while General Motors will provide 50 Chevrolet Malibu hybrids and Ford Motor Co promised 50 of its Escape hybrids, the mayor said. That adds up to 90 more cars per month than the Taxi and Limousine Commission had said were needed to meet its goals, which aim to ensure that by 2012, the entire taxi fleet will be all-hybrid or a mix that includes other cars with similar high mile-per-gallon ratings. Fast-growing demand for hybrids in an era of soaring gasoline prices is one of the brightest markets for automobile companies and New York City is not alone in emphasizing taxis. Ford, for example, says San Francisco put its first Escape hybrid taxi on the streets in 2005, followed by other cities, including Chicago.

Interesting2:



After 26 years as an enduring symbol of the B.C. Summer and Winter Games, a torch that was traditionally lit 100 days before each event began has been snuffed out because of global warming. B.C. Games Society President and CEO Kelly Mann announced yesterday there will be a 20-minute torch ceremony at the opening and closing ceremonies, but the main flame will not be lit for this summer’s event, starting in Kelowna next week, which will attract some 3,700 athletes, coaches and officials. "This torch comes from a different era. We’ve had it for a long, long time. We fired this thing up 26 years ago. There was a different mindset then about burning fossil fuels," Mr. Mann said. "Now if something is out in public, burning and burning and burning for no apparent reason, other than just to raise attention to the fact the Summer or Winter Games are in a community, people began to question that. And so we were listening to that [criticism]." He said despite the great symbolic importance of the flame, officials didn’t have a hard time making the decision.