May 25-26, 2009
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday afternoon:
Lihue, Kauai – 81
Honolulu, Oahu – 79
Kaneohe, Oahu – 81
Kahului, Maui – 85
Hilo, Hawaii – 85
Kailua-kona – 86
Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountains…at 4 p.m. Monday afternoon:
Barking Sands, Kauai– 84F
Princeville, Kauai – 77
Haleakala Crater – 50 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 39 (near 14,000 feet on the Big Island)
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Monday afternoon:
0.58 Kapahi, Kauai
1.05 South Fork Kaukonahua, Oahu
0.24 Molokai
0.01 Lanai
0.02 Kahoolawe
0.15 Oheo Gulch, Maui
0.15 Kapapala Ranch, Big Island
Marine Environment – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map shows a low pressure trough located to the west of the island of Kauai, with a ridge of high pressure positioned to the east of the Big Island. This pressure configuration will keep light breezes in place, generally from the southeast to southwest…with localized sea breezes through Wednesday.
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. Finally, here’s a looping IR satellite image, making viewable the clouds around the islands 24 hours a day. 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
The steep sea cliffs…on Molokai
Light winds, generally from the southeast, are keeping our atmosphere muggy…with volcanic haze over many areas of the island chain Monday evening. Looking at this weather map we see a trough of low pressure drawn over the area just west of Kauai. This long lasting trough is keeping our normal trade winds to the south and east of our islands. It will take the departure of the trough, and the return of a ridge of high pressure to our north, to bring the atmospheric clearing trade winds back…during the second half of this week.
At the upper levels of the atmosphere to our northeast, we have a weakening, and departing upper level low pressure system. This low aloft, as it moves away, is losing some of its influence over us. The instability that we had over the last several days is moving away with the low. The most likely chance for showers, as a trough continues to block our trade wiinds, keeping us in a convective weather pattern…will be during the afternoon hours, in the upcountry areas.
It’s Monday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this last section of today’s narrative. Looking out the window of my weather tower it’s partly cloudy, although the fairly thick volcanic haze is still evident. As expected, the clear skies of this morning, gave way to increased clouds during the afternoon locally. Here in Kula, there were a couple of minor light showers. Speaking of showers, we can check out this looping radar image, which is showing some minor precipitation over the ocean to the southeast of the Big Island, as well as a few in the Kauai Channel, at the time of this writing. ~~~ It’s the Memorial Day holiday today, a day to remember all of the fallen men and women, who lost their lives in the call of military duty. I was drafted into the army way back when for two years myself, so I can honestly say that I’m very lucky to still be writing these weather words today! My heart goes out to all those soldiers, and their families, who have experienced this loss. ~~~ I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home all day Monday, doing a mix of domestic duties, and lounging around reading. The haze is rather thick as we move towards sunset, as I mentioned above, but at least the clouds seem to be clearing a bit. Just a little while later, it started to rain quite heavily…at least briefly. I’m going to go down and make a pasta sauce now, and then bring a half glass of red wine back up on my deck, for the sunset viewing. I hope you have a great Monday night, and that you will have a chance to check back in on Tuesday, when I’ll have your next new weather narrative prepared for you early in the morning. Aloha for now…Glenn.
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