Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs / January 2-3, 2011

January 2-3, 2011

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

Lihue airport, Kauai –       79
Honolulu airport, Oahu –   81
Kaneohe, Oahu –             78
Molokai airport –              79
Kahului airport, Maui –      81
Kona airport –                   82
Hilo airport, Hawaii –        77

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 4pm Sunday afternoon:

Barking Sands, Kauai – 81F
Hilo, Hawaii – 72

Haleakala Crater –    46 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 27 (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:

0.64 Mount Waialeale, Kauai  
0.09 Wilson Tunnel, Oahu
0.03 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.43 Puu Kukui, Maui
0.59 Kawainui Stream, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a surface  trough of low pressure near Kauai…in the process of dissipating. At the same time, we find a moderately strong 1028 millibar high pressure system to the northeast of our islands. Our winds will be strengthening from the trade wind direction Monday and 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 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 web cam 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 web cams 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 end until November 31st here in the central Pacific.

 Aloha Paragraphs

Trade wind weather pattern ~
Large surf on north and west shores

 

We'll find strengthening trade winds during the first half of the new work week ahead…then lighter breezes. This weather map shows a surface trough of low pressure near Kauai Sunday evening…although dissipating. At the same time, our winds will be on the increase from the trade wind direction Monday through Wednesday. The computer models continue showing that our winds will become lighter from the northeast during the second half of the new week, gradually shifting to the south to southeast during the weekend…prompted by an approaching cold front then. This suggests that we could be looking at the next round of voggy weather again next weekend.

Winds stronger today into Monday…the following numbers represent the strongest breezes late Sunday afternoon, along with the directions:

28 mph       Port Allen, Kauai – NE
28              Kahuku, Oahu – NE
31              Molokai – NE
25              Kahoolawe – SE
29              Kahului, Maui – NE
16              Lanai Airport – NE 
35                South Point, Big Island – NE

Our weather will remain generally nice through the rest of this holiday weekend, although locally cloudy, with windward showers. This satellite image shows a large area of thunderstorms and towering cumulus clouds over the ocean, southwest through southeast of our islands.  Looking at this next satellite picture, we see this area of deep clouds sending high cirrus clouds streaming northeast over the eastern islands Sunday evening, along with windward passing showers too. Checking out this looping radar image we see just a few showers falling over the ocean, although a more generous amount are heading towards the southeast side of the Big Island…and along the windward sides of Maui and Oahu too.
 
This last Thursday evening after work I went to see a new film called True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin…among many others. The storyline: following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, a man with "true grit," Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn. Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn, whose drinking, sloth, and generally reprobate character do not augment her faith in him. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her "grit" tested. The critics are giving it a B+ grade, while the viewers are giving it this same rating. I've been looking forward to seeing this film ever since I saw the trailer way back when. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and agree completely that it warranted a B+ grade. The acting was great, and I enjoyed all the outdoor scenery in the old west too. The manner of speaking between the main characters was unusual, and added to the story in a positive way. This film was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and produced by Steven Spielberg…men known for their top notch films. Here's the trailer for this film. 

As noted in the paragraphs above, trade wind weather conditions will prevail through the next several days…through mid-week. Today will have some high clouds, with showers concentrating along the windward sides of the islands. As we move into the new week, the trade winds will be rather gusty, although not all that many showers will fall…with those occurring along the windward sides.  As we push into the second half of the new week, a showery cloud band will move through the state, increasing showers briefly. This will be followed by south to southeast winds as we move into next weekend, likely carrying volcanic haze over parts of our island chain then. We may see the next cold front arriving later next weekend, or by the beginning of the following week. ~~~ Looking out the windows of my Kula, Maui weather tower late this afternoon, there's high clouds to our south and southwest. These will likely provide a nice sunset, and if they're still around Monday morning, again then. The air temperature at 415pm was a very comfortable 68F degrees. The winds are strong enough at the summit of our Haleakala Crater, and over on the summits on the Big Island (Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea), that the NWS forecast office in Honolulu has issued a wind advisory for all three peaks. Meanwhile, the surf along our north and west facing shores, and along the Kihei and Kona coasts too, will remain on the large side Monday, with more large surf coming our way during the new week. Those Kihei beaches may not catch the large waves, although they could, while the Kona coast has a better chance of being larger than normal, be careful! ~~~ I'll be back early Monday morning with your next new weather narrative, please be well until then. Aloha for now…Glenn. 

Extra: I want to thank everyone for using my Hawaiian weather website during the year 2010! I was just checking the numbers of visitors, and the number of google clicks on this website in December, and found them to be impressive…at least for me. During the last month there were 491,352 page impressions ~ that's pretty close to a 1/2 million.

As far as google clicks on my site, you folks did that 3,492 times during December. Those clicks are one way that I receive some money from google, allowing me to keep Hawaii Weather Today updated on a daily basis. The other way is that I have advertisers linked on the left hand margin of each page of this website, who get lots of traffic to their websites…by being associated here.

So, it was my pleasure to keep these narrative updates going out to you during the last year…and I look forward to doing that again during this new year! Aloha, Glenn