March 21-22, 2010
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Sunday afternoon:
Lihue, Kauai – 77
Honolulu, Oahu – 83
Kaneohe, Oahu – 78
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 80
Kahului, Maui – 84
Hilo, Hawaii – 77
Kailua-kona – 79
Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level around the state – and on the highest mountains…at 4pm Sunday afternoon:
Honolulu, Oahu – 82F
Hilo, Hawaii – 70
Haleakala Crater – 48 (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 Sunday afternoon:
1.85 Mount Waialaele, Kauai
0.96 Manoa Valley, Oahu
0.04 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.02 Kahoolawe
0.70 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.62 Glenwood, Big Island
Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1027 millibar high pressure system far to the northeast, moving away. The tail-end of a dissipating cold front is located far to the east of the Big Island Sunday evening. The trade winds will gradually becoming lighter east-southeast to southeast breezes winds Monday-Tuesday.
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
Lighter winds…afternoon showers
The trade winds will be fading now, becoming light winds Monday, bringing us into a convective weather pattern…with afternoon showers locally. There are still quite a few clouds residing over the state now, although the atmosphere remains fairly stable. This IR satellite image shows lots of clouds around, most congregated along the windward sides Sunday evening. There are still those areas of high cirrus clouds out and around from the islands…which will be spreading over the state tonight into Monday. If we take a look at this closer view, we can see the low level clouds hanging over the north and east facing coasts and slopes. We can also see that there are still some showers falling, as they get carried along in the east to southeast wind flow…by switching over to this looping radar image.
The computer forecast models are showing a cold front moving by to the north of the state…during the first part of the upcoming new work week. This will cause a slacking-off of the trade winds starting Monday, as they rotate around to the southeast now. This will bring up some volcanic haze (vog) from the
It’s Sunday evening as I begin writing the last section of today’s narrative.
The main thing we notice now is that a convective weather pattern will shift into place, with rainy afternoons, some locally heavy…lasting into the first couple of days of the new week ahead. Winds will be light, with likely some volcanic haze around then too. Meanwhile, the large waves along our south shores are still active, although will be gradaully lowering in surf height into Monday.
~~~ Today is my friend Bob’s last full day here on Maui, as he leaves to return to work in California Monday. We had breakfast with my neighbors this morning, at that same nice French restuarant we went to yesterday morning here in Kula. Then, we headed down to Wailuku again, to visit a friend there whose birthday was today. We brought her some some Kula fruit, and took her out to the Vietnamese restaurant. We just got back to Kula, and as soon as I finish this last update, we’ll have a nice bbq here at home. Looking at the satellite images above, it looks like we’ll have a nice sunset here in the islands. I’ll be back here early Monday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Sunday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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