Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs / June 26-27, 2010

June 26-27, 2010

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

Lihue, Kauai –  82
Honolulu, Oahu –  82
Kaneohe, Oahu –  82
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 82
Kahului, Maui – 87 
Hilo, Hawaii –   83
Kailua-kona –   83

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level around – and on the highest mountains…as of 6pm Saturday evening:

Kahului, Maui – 82
Hilo, Hawaii – 77

Haleakala Crater –    50 (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 Saturday evening: 

2.89 Mount Waialaele, Kauai  
1.72 Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.13 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.11 Kula, Maui
0.09 Hilo airport, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing two near 1030 millibar high pressure systems to the northeast and northwest of the islands. Trade winds gradually increasing later Sunday into Monday.

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 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

Localized showers…gradually increasing trade winds

As we move through this weekend, our winds will be picking up again into the new work week ahead. Looking at this most recent weather map, we see two moderately strong high pressure systems aligned to the northwest, through the northeast of the islands. An area of low pressure has weakened our trade winds a little this week, although as the trough moves away to the west…our winds will gradually be picking up going forward.





The best chance of showers this weekend will be focused over Kauai and Oahu…although the other islands will get some showers here and there too. Today’s locally generous showers were prompted by the arrival of an old cold front, which brought its showers to bear here and there. Here’s an IR satellite image to check out the clouds around the islands. It shows several bands of clouds draped across the leeward sides of the islands. As this looping radar image of the Hawaiian Islands points out, most of the rainfall is concentrating across Kauai and Oahu.



If we check out this IR satellite image of the whole central Pacific, we see an area of high cirrus clouds to the west and east of the islands.








The eastern Pacific Ocean has two active tropical cyclones Saturday. This satellite image shows dissipating tropical storm Celia, along with tropical storm Darby. Celia continues to head generally towards the west, while Darby is sticking closer to the Mexican coast…as shown on this graphical track map. Celia has peaked in strength, and will be on a weakening trend through the remainder of its life cycle in the eastern Pacific.  Meanwhile, Darby will be gradually losing strength through the next several days. Neither of these hurricanes are any danger to the Hawaiian Islands…here in the central Pacific. Meanwhile, in the west Caribbean, we find the first tropical storm of the 2010 season, called 01L, which has taken on the name Alex. It is moving Belize, and then into mainland Mexico thereafter…after crossing the southwestern part of the Gulf of Mexico as perhaps a hurricane briefly. 





It’s Saturday as I begin writing this last section of today’s narrative update.  As noted above, our trade winds remain on the lighter side of normal for the time being. At the same time, we’ll see an area of moisture riding in from the northeast. This moisture source will come under the influence of an upper level low pressure system, which has enhanced it somewhat…providing some localized rainfall to the state. Some of these showers turned out to be locally quite generous, especially on Kauai and Oahu.

~~~  Friday evening I saw the new film called Knight and Day (2010), starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz…among others. I liked this film lots, and not just because it was another one of those countless action flicks that I regularly see. I happen to like Tom and Cameron, they are both good actors, and they were well suited to play together. It was a fast paced film, which I enjoyed of course. There were all the usual stunts, and shootings, and other special effects, which held my attention closely. The synopsis: Tom Cruise stars as an international super spy who accidentally gets involved with Cameron Diaz, an ordinary, everyday woman. 















I would give it a good solid B grade, and would recommend it to those of you who like this sort of thing. Here’s the trailer for this film if you have any interest…I think most of you would enjoy seeing it.

~~~ It’s Saturday evening here in Kula, Maui, and quite cloudy. The air temperature was 64.4F degrees at 725pm. It rained here in Kula this afternoon, and turned out to be the wettest place on the island of Maui today, which isn’t common. I joined some friends for a half day of zen meditation in Haiku today, which was nice. I then drove over to a friend’s house who lives in Haiku as well, where she made me a late lunch, and a cup of coffee. We sat around and talked, and ended up cutting down a stalk of apple bananas. I wasn’t able to resist heading down to Baldwin Beach after that, for some time in the sun…and of course a nice swim in the warm ocean. Shopping was my next thing, before getting a take out dinner at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Paia. I’ll catch up with you again Sunday morning. I hope you have a great Saturday night until then, and check out that still very large moon tonight if its clear where you are! Aloha for now…Glenn.