March 23-24, 2010


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

Lihue, Kauai – 79
Honolulu, Oahu – 83
Kaneohe, Oahu – 80
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 81
Kahului, Maui – 81
Hilo, Hawaii – 81
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 Tuesday afternoon:

Honolulu, Oahu – 82F
Kapalua, Maui – 77

Haleakala Crater –    48 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 41 (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:

0.30 Wainiha, Kauai  
0.24 Palisades, Oahu
0.07 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.25 Ulupalakua, Maui 
0.64 Puu Waawaa, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems to the northeast and northwest. Meanwhile, we have a low pressure trough moving away. This pressure configuration will bring back stronger returning trade winds Wednesday into Thursday.

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

http://www.kala-properties.com/images/Waimanalo_Beach_2.bmp
Returning trade winds…some windward showers

 

The upper level trough, along with its surface reflection, are just about done with us…as they migrate out of our Hawaiian Island weather picture. There’s still lot’s of high cirrus clouds around, although they have cleared the state from Kauai down through Maui County Tuesday evening. As this satellite image shows, they will be moving further to the east, bringing back clear skies to the Big Island overnight. This high stuff dimmed and filtered our Hawaiian sunshine, at least over the eastern end of the island chain. If we switch to this closer look at our local cloudiness, by using this satellite picture, we see that this 500+ mile wide cirrus swath extends southwest into the tropics…to northeast into the middle latitudes of the Pacific Ocean. In order to see our local shower activity, we can link to this looping radar image…which isn’t very impressive in terms of rainfall over the islands…at the time of this writing.

As the upper level low pressure trough moves away, and we see strengthening high pressure to our north…our trade winds are back with us now. Winds were still relatively light in most coastal locations today, although there was renewed evidence that the trade winds were on the rise. The aforementioned swath of cirrus is being pushed eastward as this low pressure trough migrates northeast in direction. Meanwhile, a dissipating cold front is located to the north and northwest of the islands. Finally, and what will bring the trade winds back more fully now…are the high pressure systems to the northwest and northeast. The trade winds will be even more well established Wednesday, and last through the rest of this week, into at least the early part of next week. These trade winds may slack-off a notch this weekend, as a cold front moves by to our north again, but then pick right back up moving into next week.

It’s Tuesday evening as I begin writing the last section of today’s narrative. The weather here in Hawaii is taking a definite turn for the better, at least for those folks who like sunshine. The heavy duty canopy of high cirrus clouds are almost gone, after sticking around for several days. I suspect that the leeward sides will be looking good Wednesday, while the windward sides will return to its fairly normal off and on passing shower regime. The long range computer models are keeping any signs of cold fronts out of our area well into next week. The trade winds seem to be digging in for a prolonged period, which is very normal this time of year. ~~~ Looking out the window this evening here in Kihei, before I take the drive back upcountry to Kula, it’s finally sunny again. Sunshine is beaming down before sunrise on all of the islands from Kauai to Maui. The Big Island should have nice sunset colors, as the high clouds continue to stream overhead at a good 60 mph clip. ~~~ I’ll catch up with you again early Wednesday morning, when I’ll be back online with your next new weather narrative. I hope you have a great Tuesday night until then!  Aloha for now…Glenn.