Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs / April 11-12, 2010

April 11-12, 2010

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

Lihue, Kauai – 78
Honolulu, Oahu – 82
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 78
Kahului, Maui – 81
Hilo, Hawaii – 81
Kailua-kona – 81

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level around the state – and on the highest mountains…at 4pm Sunday afternoon:

Barking Sands, Kauai – 81F
Molokai airport – 75

Haleakala Crater –    48 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 36 (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:

1.09 Hanalei River, Kauai  
0.92 Manoa Valley, Oahu
0.20 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.01 Kahoolawe
1.96 West Wailuaiki, Maui 
1.42 Kawainui Stream, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems located far to the northwest, north, and east-northeast of the islands. Our local trade wind speeds will be light to moderately strong from the northeast to ENE through 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

  Nice weather…somewhat cooler this coming week

Our weather turned very clear and sunny Sunday, and will be nice overnight…before the next batch of windward showers arrives Monday into Tuesday. Skies turned very clear and sunny most areas Sunday afternoon, and will remain that way through most of the night. Taking a quick look at this IR satellite image, can see this next area of showers approaching. This will bring another generally light to moderately heavy area of showers to the state. The Kauai end of the island chain will receive these showers first…after which they will travel down the islands to Maui and the Big Island into Tuesday.

An unusual veering of our trade winds will bring cooler air temperatures starting Monday…strengthening from the northeast mid-week for several days.  Weather charts show that the trade winds will take an uncommon turn Monday, veering around to the NNE, and northeast directions. These winds will also bring a slightly cooler air mass in over the state…likely sticking around through most of the new week. We usually find this wind direction following a cold front, which most often happens during our winter season. This won’t be too extreme, but our daytime and nightime air temperatures will be several degrees cooler than average for this time of year.

It’s Sunday evening as I begin writing this last section of today’s narrative.  As noted above, conditions became very dry Sunday, after the Saturday night cloud band moved through the state. We can take a look at the last of those showers using this looping radar image…as they move away from Kauai. We’ll keep this radar image on hand, so we can see when this next band of showers arrives over the next couple of days, at noted in the first paragraph above. ~~~ Here in Kula, Maui, at around 530pm, it’s about as clear as clear can be! The morning clouds dissipated as expected, leaving a totally sunny day in their place. It’s warm too, with the air temperature reading 70.2F degrees. After having that dermatological procedure this past Friday afternoon, and having instructions to totally stay out of the sunshine, it was a bit of a challenge today! Under the circumstances, I’m looking foward to the sunset this evening, so I can get out for some walking exercise. I’ll be working from home this coming week, rather than driving down to Kihei, so I can stay out of the sun again. My computer here at home is set up so I can log onto my computer in Kihei, so it won’t be a problem. I’ll be up well before sunrise Monday morning, here to prepare your next new weather narrative from paradise, I hope to meet you here then! Aloha for now…Glenn.