Hawaii Weather Today » 2009

August 11-12, 2009

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 87
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 80
Hilo, Hawaii – 86
Kailua-kona – 89

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountains…at 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon:

Barking Sands, Kauai – 91F
Kahului, Maui – 76

Haleakala Crater – 54 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 63 (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 Tuesday afternoon:

1.37 Hanalei River, Kauai
0.54 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.30 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
1.62 West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.78 Honokaa, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing two high pressure systems to the north and northeast of the islands. Winds will be gusty from the northeast near Oahu and Kauai, while lighter from the southeast over Maui and the Big Island…due to the passage of former Felicia.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this 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.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Felicia moving between Maui and the Big Island

Former tropical cyclone Felicia will be a part of our Hawaiian Island weather picture through Wednesday…with returning trade wind weather Thursday. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) has dropped the tropical storm watch, and the flash flood watch across the entire state of Hawaii. What we’re left with is a small craft wind advisory for all coastal and channel waters statewide…and a high surf advisory for the east shores of all the islands.

As this dissipating tropical system moves across the southern part of the island chain, all of the islands will receive some showers. Once this showery weather moves west, past the state Wednesday, we’ll return to favorably inclined trade wind weather conditions statewide…lasting through the rest of the week into next week. Here’s a looping radar image of the Hawaiian Islands, so we can keep an eye on those showers moving through the state.

There has been a continued weakening of tropical cyclone Felicia Tuesday evening. The last CPHC forecast has been issued, as Felicia has dropped down below the tropical depression status. Here’s the last tracking map, showing the center of Felicia moving through the Alenuihaha Channel, between Maui and the Big Island. Here’s a satellite image showing this weakening tropical system in relation to the Hawaiian Islands…although it’s difficult to see it anymore.

~~~ As what’s left of Felicia moves through the state, we’ll see localized blustery winds, with gusts being enhanced where physical terrain features accelerate the flow. Some areas will be blocked from the strongest winds however, which will range generally between 25-35 mph…although there will be higher gusts locally as well. These gusty winds will remain active in some places into Wednesday….becoming lighter thereafter.

~~~ Finally, as this dissipated tropical depression continues its journey through the islands…we’ll see at least some clouds, and localized showers Tuesday night into Wednesday. It’s difficult to gauge exactly how much precipitation that we might receive by the end of this showery weather episode, but an estimate might be 1-2 inches in general, with higher amounts in a few places. The windward sides will find the largest amounts, although the leeward sides will find some precipitation as well.

It’s Tuesday evening here in Kihei, Maui, as I begin writing this latest update to the narrative. If you had a chance to read down this far on the page, you know that remnants of tropical depression Felica will be moving through the southern Hawaiian Islands during the next 24 hours. Here’s a looping satellite image of Felicia moving through between Maui and the Kohala/Hamakua area on the Big Island.

~~~ There will continue to be those localized blustery winds and showers which are still forecast to bring unusual weather conditions to the islands ..at least in terms of the summer season. Now that this storm has been sheared apart, the lower level circulation of the storm…the lower cloud swirl, is being directed along by the trade wind flow. Here’s a satellite image of Felicia and the Hawaiian Islands.

~~~ Meanwhile, a new tropical depression called 9E remains active in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This tropical cyclone is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm named Guillermo, and continue on into our central Pacific as a tropical storm. It’s present track timing would bring it into our part of the Pacific Ocean basin by this Friday evening. Here’s the NHC tracking map for this newly formed system. Here’s the satellite photo of 9E. The expected track shows, or at least we can project that 9E will remain well south of our Hawaiian Islands.

~~~ Meanwhile again, we find a tropical cyclone named 1C, which started down to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands…again here in the central Pacific Ocean. We don’t need to worry about 1C, which was given the name tropical storm Maka recently…as it’s located 1100+ miles to the southwest of Honolulu. Here’s a tracking map…and a satellite image of that area.

~~~ The computer models continue to try and spin-up another storm in the eastern Pacific, which would be called 10E. If this system did spawn as expected, it would take on the name tropical storm Hilda. This would be another storm that would likely travel westward into our central Pacific Ocean. It’s still too early to know very much about this new storm, however the computer models do show it moving across the eastern Pacific, towards our central Pacific eventually.

~~~ So far, as we get into Tuesday night, after a long work day, I see that there have been 46,303 hits on this website, as of 845pm. At the same time there had been 659 google clicks…almost as many as the ~ 55,000 yesterday, which absolutely blows my mind, really! I want to thank each of you readers, it’s great to be writing about these storms and such…and know that you are reading about it. One more number while we’re tossing them out there, the grand total for this website during August so far, is 258,556 hits, with 4,560 google clicks…that’s over a quarter of a million hits, and we’re less than half way through the month…this deserves another exclamation point!

~~~ Finally, and I really mean finally this time, Tuesday was a very unusual day here in the islands. It didn’t look like the islands are "suppose to look" during the summer month of August! It was windy, and locally a wet day. Here in Kihei it was partly to mostly cloudy all day, with light drizzle and mist falling. It was pretty darn blustery too, even more than it usually is during the hot afternoons here on the south coast. I just looked outside before calling the Maui News for an interview about the weather, and the drizzle is coming down sideways! I’m curious to see what’s happening as I drive home to Kula. I’ll likely come back online later this evening for a minute and let you now.

~~~ It’s going on 9pm this evening, and it is absolutely still out, and the air temperature is hovering around 70F degrees…which feels very warm and humid. It was mostly cloudy, and showery on that drive home, with the cloud bases very low. I really must try and go to sleep now, as tomorrow is another day, as we all know. Plus, my Mom called me this evening and said something to the effect…"get some rest Glenn, you’ve been working too hard!" So, I’d best be following her directions, as I absolutely know she is looking out for my best health. Aloha for now…Glenn.

August 10-11, 2009

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 87
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-kona – 88

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountains…at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning:

Kailua-kona – 81F
Princeville, Kauai – 73

Haleakala Crater – 45 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 43 (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:

0.41 Mount Waialaele, Kauai
0.50 Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.35 Molokai
0.02 Lanai
0.02 Kahoolawe
1.51 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.49 Hilo airport, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing two high pressure systems to the north and northeast of the islands. These high pressure cells, along with their associated ridges to our north, will keep the trade winds Monday. Winds will become stronger and gusty Tuesday, as Felicia moves through the central part of the Hawaiian Islands late in the day…into Wednesday.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this 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.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Tropical storm Felicia approaches from the east

We’ll find increasing clouds ahead of weakening tropical cylcone Felicia, with locally windy and showery weather Tuesday into at least part of Wednesday…improving conditions Thursday into the weekend. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) is keeping the tropical storm watch alive over parts of the state of Hawaii Monday night…which includes the area from the Kauai Channel, across Oahu down through Maui County. Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings remain in effect over the offshore waters around the islands. A small craft wind advisory is also active in all of the coastal and channel waters across the state of Hawaii. A small craft wind advisory means: THAT WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 33 KNOTS (29-38 mph) AND/OR SEAS 10 FEET OR GREATER ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT.

As the leading edge of dissipating tropical cyclone Felicia pushes into the state of Hawaii…we’ll see increasing showers arrive first on the Big Island and Maui. As this tropical system moves over the central islands, all of the islands will take a turn in getting wet. Once this blustery weather moves west, past the state later Wednesday, we’ll return to favorably inclined trade wind weather conditions statewide, through the rest of the week. Here’s a looping radar image of the Hawaiian Islands, so we can begin to look for the leading edge of the showers associated with Felicia coming from the northeast and east.

Note: The NWS has a Flash Flood Watch active for the islands of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui County through Wednesday afternoon. This means that…quoting the NWS: "ALTHOUGH FELICIA IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WEAKENING…ABUNDANT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MAY STILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL…WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING. THE LATEST FORECAST FOR FELICIA INDICATES THAT THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY…AND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED." The threat of heavy rain has lessened for the Big Island, so that island is no longer under this Flash Flood Watch.

There has been a continued weakening of tropical storm Felicia into Tuesday morning. The latest CPHC forecast now shows that Felicia will be a tropical depression, as it moves through the central part of the island chain. Here’s a tracking map, showing the center of Felicia moving over Maui County…and Oahu. Here’s a satellite image showing this weakening tropical storm in relation to the Hawaiian Islands. At 2am Tuesday morning, the center of TS Felicia was 190 miles east of Kahului, Maui, and 280 miles east of Honolulu.

The latest reports from tropical storm Felicia at 2am Tuesday morning, showed 35 knots of sustained winds, which equates to 40 mph…with gusts to near 52 mph near the center. This tropical storm is expected to gradually weaken throughout the rest of its life cycle…becoming a tropical depression as it moves into the state of Hawaii. Tropical depression winds are 39 mph or lower.

If the current Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) forecast holds true, with a tropical depression moving across the central islands…we will see the following conditions. We’ve already seen the high surf pounding our east facing shores of the Big Island and Maui…bringing dangerously large breaking waves to our beaches. This surf will spread up to the other islands as well. The NWS forecast office in Honolulu is keeping a High Surf Warning in effect…for the east facing shores of Maui County and the Big Island. This high surf is expected to continue pounding those shores into Tuesday at 6pm. The other islands in the chain will see rising surf as well, becoming larger into Tuesday. The high surf along the east facing shores of the southern islands may exceed 15 feet. High surf along Oahu and Kauai’s east shores may exceed 8 feet, and last until 6pm Wednesday evening.

~~~ As Felicia gets closer, we’ll see blustery winds, with gusts being enhanced where physical terrain features accelerate the flow. Finally, when this tropical depression moves into the state…we’ll see increasing clouds, and localized showers late Monday night into Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s difficult to gauge exactly how much precipitation that we might receive ahead of time, but an estimate might be 1-3+ inches, with higher amounts locally. Flash flooding remains a threat across some parts of the island chain.

It’s Monday night here in Kula, Maui, as I writing this update to the narrative. If you had a chance to read down through this entire page, you know that gradually weakening tropical storm Felica is heading towards our Hawaiian Islands. The gradual weakening of Felicia is being caused by the stronger winds at upper levels of the atmosphere…the so called shearing winds. These are conditions that typically inhibit further strengthening of a storm…and almost always cause further weakening.

~~~ Tropical storm Felicia has definitely run under those upper winds, which are decoupling the thunderstorms above Felicia…from the lower reaches of the storm. These shearing upper winds have had a big impact on the integrity of the storm, although there’s still thunderstorm activity to the northeast of the center. Here’s a looping satellite image of Felicia moving towards the islands, so you can see what I’m talking about.

There should continue to be a gradual losing of this storm’s strength as it nears Hawaii through Tuesday night into Wednesday.

~~~ This weakening doesn’t mean that we won’t be seeing blustery winds and showers

however, which are still forecast to bring inclement weather conditions to the islands from Maui up through Kauai. Now that this storm has been sheared apart, the lower level circulation of the storm…the lower cloud swirl, will be directed along by our easterly trade wind flow. It would be wise to keep a close eye on this storm as it spins closer in our direction. Speaking of a close eye, here’s a satellite image of Felicia and the Hawaiian Islands.

~~~ A new tropical depression called 9E has spun up in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This tropical cyclone is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm named Guillermo, and continue on into our central Pacific as a tropical storm. It’s present track timing would bring it into our part of the Pacific Ocean basin by this Friday evening. Here’s the NHC tracking map for this newly formed system. Here’s the satellite photo of 9E.

~~~ Meanwhile, at 5pm HST Monday evening, a new tropical cyclone named 1C started down to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands…again here in the central Pacific Ocean. We don’t need to worry about 1C, as it is near 1000 miles to the west-southwest of Honolulu. Here’s a tracking map…and a satellite image of that area.

~~~ The computer models are trying to spin up a 3rd storm in the eastern Pacific, which would be called 10E, which would take on the name tropical storm Hilda. This would be yet another storm that would likely travel westward into our central Pacific Ocean!

~~~ I was just leaving Kihei at around 630pm, a long day, after starting at 4 something Monday morning! I love my work, so it wasn’t a problem. By the way, I just checked to see how many of you folks logged onto my website Monday, and I’m totally amazed to find that there were 55,590 page impressions…which is a new record for this Hawaii Weather Today internet presence in one day! There were 790 clicks on the google ads Monday as well, amazing to say the least, and let me say thank you so much for your readership!

~~~ It’s around 2am Tuesday morning, and I’m up writing on this website, and updating the Pacific Disaster Center’s website as well. I should be asleep, but my wind chimes are clanking around so loudly, that it woke me up…and I figured I’d get up and see what was going on. I’ve dis-assembled the chimes, so that it’s a lot quieter now, and I’ll try and get back to bed. I’ll be up in a few hours though, and will be back here to fire up this website again then. I hope you have a great Monday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn. ,

August 9-10, 2009

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 90
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 80
Kailua-kona – 89

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountains…at 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon:

Honolulu, Oahu – 87F
Princeville, Kauai – 79

Haleakala Crater – 57 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 64 (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 Sunday afternoon:

1.00 Mount Waialaele, Kauai
0.56 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.01 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.54 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.27 Mountain View, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing two 1028 millibar high pressure systems to the north and northeast of the islands. These high pressure cells, along with their associated ridges to our north, will keep the trade winds blowing Sunday into Monday. Winds will become stronger and gusty late Monday into Tuesday…as Felicia moves through the central part of the Hawaiian Islands.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this 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.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Tropical storm Felicia approaches from the east

Generally nice conditions will prevail Sunday night into Monday morning, giving way to blustery weather later Monday into Tuesday…with improving conditions Wednesday. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) is keeping the tropical storm watch over the state of Hawaii in effect Sunday night, which includes the area from the Kauai Channel, across Oahu down through Maui County…to the Big Island. Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings remain in effect over the offshore waters around the islands. Tropical storm force winds are 39 to 73 mph.

Skies will be clear to partly cloudy Sunday night, with those usual cloudy periods…and a few showers. When tropical cyclone Felicia pushes towards the state of Hawaii during the day Monday into the night…we will see increasingly heavy rains arrive around the Big Island and Maui. As the storm moves closer, the other islands will get wet into Tuesday. Once this rainy weather moves west past the state later Tuesday and on Wednesday, we’ll return to favorably inclined trade wind weather conditions statewide through the rest of the week.

Note: The NWS has a Flash Flood Watch active for the islands of Oahu, Maui County, and the Big Island starting Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon. This means that…quoting the NWS: "ABUNDANT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH FELICIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING INCREASING ON MONDAY AND CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY."

Note: The NWS office in Honolulu continues its Flood Potential Outlook for Kauai and Niihau. There is the potential for heavy rains and flash flooding Monday night through Wednesday on those two islands. The NWS disclaimer reads: "AT THIS POINT…THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY IN THE LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED…THE ONSET…AND DURATION OF HEAVY RAINS…AS WELL AS THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR. ALL OF THESE ARE DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK FELICIA ULTIMATELY TAKES."

Felicia continues moving across the central Pacific towards Hawaii…as a weakening tropical storm. The latest CPHC forecast now shows that Felicia will be a tropical storm, as it moves through the central part of the island chain over the next two days. Here’s a tracking map, showing the center of Felicia moving over the island of Oahu, and then onwards just south of Kauai Tuesday morning…into the afternoon hours. Here’s a satellite image showing this weakening tropical storm in relation to the Hawaiian Islands. At approximately 8pm Sunday evening, the center of TS Felicia was 435 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

The latest sustained wind measurements with tropical storm Felicia at 8pm Sunday evening, showed 45 knots of sustained winds, which translates into 52 mph…with gusts to near 63 mph near the center. This tropical storm is expected to gradually weaken throughout the rest of its life cycle…although remaining a lower end tropical storm as it moves into the state of Hawaii…at least that’s the latest snap shot of its expectations. Again, tropical storm force winds are 39-73 mph, while tropical depression winds are 39 mph or lower. By the way, here’s a sea water temperature map showing the ocean to the east of the islands.

If the current Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) forecast holds true, with a tropical storm moving over the central islands…we would see the following influences. We’ve already seen the first signs of the storm along the east facing shores of the Big Island and Maui, where rising high surf has arrived…which could bring dangerously large breaking waves to our beaches Monday and Tuesday. As Felicia gets closer, we will see blustery weather, with gusty winds being enhanced where physical terrain features accelerate the flow Monday into Tuesday. Finally, when this tropical storm moves into the state…we’ll see increasing clouds, and heavy flooding rainfall during the day Monday into Tuesday as well. It’s difficult to gauge exactly how much precipitation that we might receive ahead of time, but an estimate might be 3-6 inches, with higher amounts towards 8-10"+…in those most wet mountain locations. Flash flooding is a definite threat across the entire island chain.

Note: In terms of high surf, the NWS forecast office in Honolulu has issued a High Surf Warning, which started at 6pm Sunday evening…for the east facing shores of Maui and the Big Island. This dangerously high surf is expected to continue pounding those shores into Tuesday. The other islands in the chain will see rising surf as well, becoming larger on Monday.

It’s early Sunday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this last part of today’s narrative. If you had a chance to read down through this entire page, you know that gradually weakening tropical storm Felica is heading towards our Hawaiian Islands. The gradual weakening of Felicia is being caused by the stronger winds at upper levels of the atmosphere. These are conditions that typically inhibit further strengthening of a storm…and almost always cause further weakening.

~~~ Tropical storm Felicia seems to be holding her own, in terms of strength. The shearing upper winds have begun to do their work, although there’s still a considerable amount of thunderstorm activity to the northeast of the center. Here’s a looping satellite image of Felicia moving towards the islands, so you can see what I mean.

There should continue to be a very gradual diminishment of this storm’s strength as it nears Hawaii. This weakening doesn’t mean that we won’t be seeing blustery winds and heavy rains however, which are still forecast to bring inclement weather conditions to our islands starting Monday. It would be wise to keep a close eye on this storm as it spins closer in our direction. Speaking of a close eye, here’s a good satellite image of Felicia and the Hawaiian Islands.

~~~ Just as an aside, a new tropical depression called 9E has spun up in the eastern Pacific Ocean Sunday. I’d recommend that we don’t worry about, what will likely become tropical storm Guillermo. We have enough to handle with Felicia at the moment…wouldn’t you agree! At any rate, here’s the NHC tracking map for this newly formed system. While we’re looking at new stuff, here’s the satellite photo of 9E.

~~~ I’ll be working into the night Sunday from home here in Kula, Maui. This will allow me to continue bringing you the latest updates, and information as we head into what looks to be a couple of days of windy and wet weather starting Monday. I hope you have a great Sunday night from wherever you’re reading from! I’ll grab a couple of hours of sleep, and then rise again around 430am Monday, to begin preparing your next new weather narrative from paradise. Aloha for now…Glenn.

~~~ Oh my gosh…it’s a little after 815pm Sunday evening, and there have been 34,962 page impressions on this website today! There have been 931 clicks on the google ads here too. It’s a good thing that I worked on this website all day, as there are so many of you who are logging on…wanting to find out about tropical storm Felicia! Thanks by the way for your readership…and the clicks too! I just did a google search on the very generic subject: Hawaii Weather…and noticed that this website comes up #1 on that well used list…thanks to all of you who are coming here for your weather information!

Here’s another one of those funny video’s, this time about cats again.

Interesting: Scientists have placed high-tech "spiders" inside and around the mouth of Mount St. Helens, one of the most active volcanoes in the United States. Networks such as these could one day be used to respond rapidly to an impending eruption. On July 14, 2009, these spider pods were lowered by cable from a helicopter hovering about 100 feet up and gently put in hot spots inside and around the volcano crater.

"This project demonstrates that a low-cost sensor network system can support real-time monitoring in extremely challenging environments," said WenZhan Song of Washington State University Vancouver. Song is the principal investigator for this NASA-funded technology research project, which also draws on participation from the U.S. Geological Survey and from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

These robotic emissaries were built to go where no human can and operate in extreme temperatures and treacherous terrain. Fifteen pods form a virtual wireless network, communicating with each other and the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite, operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, in Greenbelt, Md.

"Taking data from the ground onsite and from above by satellite gives you a great picture of what is going on inside the volcano," said Steve Chien, principal scientist for autonomous systems at JPL. Each pod contains a seismometer to detect earthquakes; a GPS receiver to pinpoint the exact location and measure subtle ground deformation; an infrared sounder to sense volcanic explosions; and a lightning detector to search for ash cloud formation.

The main instrument box is the size and shape of a microwave oven. It sits on top of a three-legged tripod, which is why scientists call them spiders. The pods are powered by batteries that can last for at least a year. "With these high-tech instruments, we can rapidly respond during periods of volcanic unrest to supplement our permanent monitoring network or quickly replace damaged stations without excessive exposure to personnel," said Rick LaHusen, an instrumentation engineer with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Wash.

In 1980, a tremendous eruption at Mount St. Helens caused considerable loss of life and damage. More recently, in 2004, the volcano came back to life and erupted more than 26 billion gallons of lava, accompanied by a series of explosions that hurled rock and ash far from the vent.

If eruptions like these ever occur again, a sensor network could be quickly put in place to provide valuable real-time information to scientists and emergency services. This work is part of NASA’s plan to develop a sensor web to provide timely data and analyses for scientific research, natural hazard mitigation, and the exploration of other planets in this solar system and beyond.

"We hope this network will provide a blueprint for future networks to be installed on many of the world’s unmonitored active volcanoes, so educated and reliable estimates can be made when a town or a village needs to be evacuated to reduce the risk to life and property," said Project Manager Sharon Kedar of JPL.

Chien said, "Hostile environments like Mount St. Helens are proving grounds for future space missions, such as to Mars, where we may someday have similar sensor networks to track a meteor strike, dust storm or Mars quake, as a virtual scientist on the ground." Song said, "The design and deployment experiences will help us understand challenging environments and inspire new discoveries."

Interesting2: Scientists now know how a natural hydrocarbon emitted in large quantities by plants can be transformed into light-scattering aerosols that contribute to haze and influence climate. The finding will improve models of atmospheric chemistry and climate and may help explain puzzling field observations in some parts of the world, the researchers report. Worldwide, plants release more than 550 million metric tons of the hydrocarbon isoprene into the atmosphere each year.

But scientists have disagreed about the particular chain of chemical reactions that transform isoprene into haze-forming aerosols, says Fabien Paulot, an atmospheric chemist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Now, lab tests by Paulot and his colleagues, reported in the Aug. 7 Science, have identified a new class of substances long suspected to form as an intermediate in those reactions but never before seen.

The team created the chemicals, called dihydroxyepoxides, by placing isoprene and hydrogen peroxide in an 800-liter bag of unpolluted air and then illuminating the mix with ultraviolet light. The UV light stimulated chemical reactions, just as sunlight would, and the hydrogen peroxide served as a source of hydroxyl radicals — highly reactive compounds known as "the detergent of the atmosphere," Paulot says.

Isoprene and hydroxyl radicals reacted to form dihydroxyepoxides via two separate chemical processes. Because the resulting epoxides are highly soluble, they readily dissolve into droplets of moisture in the air to form organic-rich aerosols, Paulot says.

Interesting3: Harvard University scientists are predicting some forms of air pollution could increase significantly across the West as more of the region’s wild lands burn as a result of rising temperatures. Smoke from wildfires contains two main kinds of carbon particles: black soot, or elemental carbon, and lighter-colored particles, called organic carbon aerosols, which are a mix of chemicals.

"In large quantities, downwind of fires, organic carbon aerosols are hazardous," said senior research fellow Jennifer Logan, who led a study examining rising wildfire rates and the impact on air quality. "The particles irritate lung tissue and the chemicals they carry are toxic. But even at low concentrations, these aerosols may be dangerous. We don’t know. There is no known threshold where damage begins."

Interesting4: Three major glaciers in Alaska and Washington state have thinned and shrunk dramatically, clear signs of a warming climate, according to a study released Thursday by the U.S. Geological Survey. The three glaciers — Gulkana and Wolverine in Alaska and South Cascade in Washington — are considered benchmarks for those in alpine and maritime climates because they closely parallel other glaciers in their regions.

They have also been the subject of close scientific scrutiny since 1957. "These are the three glaciers in North America that have the longest record of mass change," said Shad O’Neel, a United States Geological Survey glaciologist in Anchorage who was one of the study authors.

"All three of them have a different climate from the other two, yet all three are showing a similar pattern of behavior, and that behavior is mass loss." Scientists are keeping a close watch on melting glaciers, as a rise in sea-levels would threaten coastal and low-lying areas around the world.

The latest study compares records of snow and ice thickness and densities over the years, the factors used to calculate mass. The glaciers have lost mass as melting outpaced new snow and ice accumulation, and for all three, the losses were especially dramatic over the past 15 years, according to the USGS study.

August 8-9, 2009

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 89
Kaneohe, Oahu – 84
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-kona – 87

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountains…at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon:

Port Allen, Kauai – 88F
Hilo, Hawaii – 80

Haleakala Crater – 59 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 45 (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 Saturday afternoon:

0.79 Mount Waialaele, Kauai
0.10 Kii, Oahu
0.00 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.38 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.82 Honaunau, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1029 millibar high pressure system to the northeast of the islands. This high pressure cell, along with its associated ridge to our north, will keep the trade winds blowing Sunday. Winds will become stronger and gusty Monday and Tuesday…as Felicia moves through the southern part of the Hawaiian Islands.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this 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.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Hurricane Felicia approaches from the east

A fairly typical trade wind weather pattern, with moderately strong trade winds, will persist through Sunday. A 1030 millibar high pressure system remains in place to the northeast of Hawaii Saturday evening. This trade wind producing high pressure cell is shown on this weather map. A small craft wind advisory continues to cover only the windiest areas around Maui County and the Big Island at this time. As weakening tropical cyclone Felicia moves into our area Monday, we will see small craft wind advisories likely statewide, and perhaps even gale warnings in some of the major channels…along with wind advisories over certain parts of the islands. A tropical storm watch over the southern part of the state is already in effect, with tropical storm warnings over the offshore waters around the islands. Tropical storm force winds are 39 – 73 mph.

Generally fair weather conditions will prevail through Sunday…with a few showers falling along the windward sides during the night and early morning hours. When tropical cyclone Felicia pushes into the state of Hawaii during the day Monday…we will very likely see heavy rains arrive around the Big Island and Maui, and then move further up the chain to the other islands into Tuesday. Once this potentially rainy weather moves west past the state later Tuesday into early Wednesday, we will return to favorably inclined weather conditions statewide.

Note: The NWS has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the islands of Maui County and the Big Island starting Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon. This means that "ABUNDANT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH FELICIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING INCREASING ON MONDAY AND CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY"

Note: The NWS office in Honolulu continues its Flood Potential Outlook for Oahu and Kauai, associated with tropical cyclone Felicia. There is the potential for heavy rains and flash flooding later Monday through the middle of the week on those two islands. The NWS disclaimer reads: "AT THIS POINT…THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY IN THE LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED…THE ONSET…AND DURATION OF HEAVY RAINS…AS WELL AS THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR. ALL OF THESE ARE DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK FELICIA ULTIMATELY TAKES."

Hurricane Felicia is now moving across our central Pacific towards Hawaii…as a weakening hurricane. This hurricane is being rated as a category 1 tropical cyclone Saturday evening. Felicia is expected to drop in strength going forward, as it moves towards the Hawaiian Islands. The current forecast keeps Felicia a hurricane through Saturday, before weakening it into a tropical storm Sunday. Here’s a tracking map, showing the center of Felicia heading generally towards the Alenuihaha Channel, and the southern part of Maui. Here’s a satellite image showing this weakening hurricane in relation to the Hawaiian Islands.

The sustained winds with hurricane Felicia Saturday evening were blowing at 75 knots, which translates into 86 mph…with gusts to near 104 mph. This hurricane is expected to gradually weaken throughout the rest of its life cycle. The relatively good news continues to be that the forecast drops the system down into a tropical storm, as it approaches the southern end of the island chain. Tropical storm force winds are 39-73 mph. By the way, here’s a sea water temperature map showing the ocean to the east of the islands.

If the current NHC forecast holds up, with a weakening tropical storm moving over the southern islands…we could see the following influences. The first sign of the storm would be rising high surf along our east facing shores later on Sunday…which could bring dangerously large breaking waves to our beaches into Monday and Tuesday. As Felicia gets closer, we would see blustery weather, with gusty winds being enhanced where physical terrain features accelerate the flow. Finally, when this tropical system moves over the state…we would see increasing clouds, and heavy flooding rainfall Monday into Tuesday. It’s difficult to gauge how much precipitation that we might receive ahead of time, but an estimate might be 5-8 inches, with 12+ inches in those wettest locations. Flash flooding is a definite threat across the entire island chain.

It’s Saturday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this part of today’s narrative. If you had a chance to read down through this entire page, you know that gradually weakening hurricane Felica is heading towards our Hawaiian Islands. The hope is that as it pushes westward, it will run into stronger winds at upper levels of the atmosphere. These are conditions that typically inhibit further strengthening of a storm…and often cause a rather pronounced weakening. This may or may not happen, so we should pay close attention to the progress of this dangerous tropical cyclone as it takes aim on our islands. Here’s a great satellite image showing the big picture, with Felicia and the islands.

~~~ Hurricane Felicia was more or less maintaining its general strength Saturday evening, as it remains over relatively warm water, and hasn’t yet moved under the shearing upper winds that are expected before the system reaches the Hawaiian Islands. There could be a falling apart of this tropical cyclone as it nears Hawaii, although this hasn’t started to happen yet. As has been pointed out many times along the way, it is still a bit too early to know exactly for sure what will happen. If this shearing action takes place as hoped for, we would likely see a weakened tropical storm moving over, or close to Maui and the Big Island. If on the other hand, the shearing didn’t take place to the degree expected…we could see a stronger tropical storm moving into the state of Hawaii. Stay tuned!

~~~ After I got off work Friday evening at the Pacific Disaster Center in Kihei, Maui, I figured I would just go home, as it had been a very long week, and I was tired. Somehow, along the way, my car veered into Kahului, and I had a quick take out dinner at Down to Earth. I then drove over to one of the theaters, and looked to see what was playing. I ended up taking in a very endearing film called Julia & Julie (2009), starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams…among others. This film was just exactly what I needed, and I enjoyed it very much! A short synopsis: Nora Ephron adapts Julie Powell‘s autobiographical book Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen with this Columbia Pictures production starring Amy Adams as an amateur chef who decides to cook every recipe in a cookbook from acclaimed celebrity chef Julia Child (played by Meryl Streep) in order to chronicle it in a blog over the course of a year. Streep‘s Devil Wears Prada co-star Stanley Tucci re-teams with the actress as Child’s husband.

Here’s a trailer for this great film.

Speaking of great stuff, try this piece of work – make it full screen, turn the music up…and enjoy!

~~~ I worked at home today for the Pacific Disaster Center, so I was at my computer. I’ll be here to bring you the latest news on hurricane Felicia again on Sunday. I hope you have a great Saturday night from wherever you’re reading from! Aloha for now…Glenn.