May 30-31, 2010
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Sunday afternoon:
Lihue, Kauai – 83
Honolulu, Oahu – 85
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 84
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-kona – 82
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 – 84F
Hilo, Hawaii – 76
Haleakala Crater – 55 (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 Sunday afternoon:
1.07 Mount Waialaele, Kauai
0.47 Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.08 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.01 Kahoolawe
0.44 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.53 Waiakea Uka, Big Island
Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1029 millibar high pressure system to our northeast…with an elongated ridge of high pressure extending southwest from its center. The trade wind flow will be moderately strong through Monday…somewhat lighter 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. Of course, as we know, our hurricane season won’t begin again until June 1st here in the central Pacific.
Aloha Paragraphs
Good weather through the Memorial Day holiday
The trade winds remain active, remaining so through the Memorial Day holiday…gradually weakening Tuesday into mid-week. This weather map shows a 1029 millibar high pressure cell far to our northeast Sunday evening. These trade winds will slowing dropping off over the next couple of days. Once we get into the month of June, which starts Tuesday, it becomes more and more difficult to slow down the trade wind flow. Although, the computer forecast models are suggesting that our winds will falter once again around Wednesday, remaining lighter than normal perhaps for several days.
As the trade winds continue blowing, we’ll see a few windward biased showers…although very few . As this IR satellite image shows, there are just a few cloud patches around the islands, most of which are over the ocean however. If we push this view out a bit more, using this larger satellite picture, we see a few minor streaks of high cirrus clouds coming off thunderstorms well to our south and southeast. As the trade winds continue, we’ll see a few showers falling over the windward sides of the islands. The computer forecast models suggest however, that we’ll have relatively dry weather well into the future.
It’s Sunday evening as I begin writing this last section of today’s narrative.
As noted above, the trade winds will be quite strong and gusty into Monday. These winds will remain strong enough, that small craft wind advisories continue in those windiest areas around Maui and the Big Island for the time being. There will be those occasional showers over the windward coasts and slopes…falling as usual during the night and morning hours. As we move back into another light wind condition starting Wednesday, called a convective weather pattern…we’ll begin to feel pretty hot and muggy during the days near sea level. We may see a bit of volcanic haze (vog) being carried over some parts of the island chain then as well. The computer forecast models are showing this light wind regime remaining in place from Wednesday into next weekend. This would be an unusually long stint of lighter than normal winds. If this weather pattern unfolds as expected, we’d see slightly cooler than normal mornings, giving way to afternoon cloudy periods over and around the mountains…although not many showers. ~~~ I’ll be back Sunday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Sunday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.
Email Glenn James: 
