Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday:
Lihue, Kauai – 85
Honolulu airport, Oahu – 89 (record for Monday – 92 in 2005)
Kaneohe, Oahu – 83
Molokai airport – 87
Kahului airport, Maui – 87
Kona airport 86
Hilo airport, Hawaii – 84
Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 5pm Monday evening:
Barking Sands, Kauai – 85
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Haleakala Crater – 48 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 37 (over 13,500 feet on the Big Island)
Here are the 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Monday evening:
0.07 Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.20 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.00 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
1.66 West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.43 Piihonua, Big Island
Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing a 1030 millibar high pressure system to the north-northeast of our islands. Our local trade winds will remain active through Wednesday…moderately strong.
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. 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 13,500 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 shining down during the night at times. Plus, during the nights you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise and sunset 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. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here. Here's a tropical cyclone tracking map for the eastern and central Pacific.
Aloha Paragraphs
Summer trade winds becoming lighter…chance
of increased showers Thursday-Saturday
The trade winds will continue to blow…gradually easing up this week. Glancing at this weather map, we find a 1030 millibar high pressure system to the north-northeast of the islands Monday night. This high pressure cell and its associated ridges will provide our trade winds over the islands through at least the first half of this new work week. Our local winds however will ease up some, perhaps quite a bit during the second half of this week.
Our trade winds will remain active…the following numbers represent the strongest gusts (mph), along with directions Monday evening:
14 Princeville, Kauai – NE
25 Honolulu, Oahu – ENE
23 Molokai – NE
23 Kahoolawe – NE
32 Kahului, Maui – NE
14 Lanai – NE
24 Upolu Point, Big Island – NE
We can use the following links to see what’s going on in our area of the north central Pacific Ocean Monday night. Looking at this NOAA satellite picture we find low level cumulus and stratocumulus clouds coming into our windward sides. We can use this looping satellite image to see lower level clouds being carried along in the low level wind flow. There are high clouds well offshore in most directions, some of which will arrive here in the islands by later Tuesday or early Wednesday from the west. Checking out this looping radar image we see just a few showers falling along our windward sides.
Sunset Commentary: The first half of this work week will turn out to be pretty normal. The trade winds are already starting to soften a bit, as expected. The same high pressure system that generated our trade winds last week, is still anchored up to our north-northeast today. This high pressure system was weighing-in at up to 1037 millibar last week, although today is being rated at only 1030 millibars. Thus, the trade winds won't be feeling quite as energized as we push through these first several days of this new week.
After mid-week our trade winds may down shift another gear, and become even lighter Thursday through Saturday or so. Looking even further ahead, the computer models are suggesting that by Sunday our trade winds will pick up a notch again…lasting into next week. An upper level trough of low pressure, and the intrusion of the old circulation of former tropical cyclone Eugene, will be the reason for the possible lighter winds later this week. I don’t see the trade winds collapsing altogether though, although they will get lighter.
As for precipitation, there will continue to be some, especially along our windward sides. The leeward sides will remain generally dry, for the most part at least. We can look for a pretty typical trade wind weather pattern through Tuesday. As we get into the mid-week time frame, we could see both high and lower level clouds starting to increase. Thursday and Friday will find the remnant moisture from Eugene arriving, with increasing showers expected. If the trade winds falter some, and the upper trough brings colder air aloft over the state as expected, we could see some locally heavier showers around…in both the windward and leeward sections. This will all depend on just how much of this moisture arrives from what's left of old Eugene.
~~~ Here in Kihei, Maui at around 530pm Monday evening, skies were clear to partly cloudy at the coasts, and partly to mostly cloudy around the mountains. The trade winds are blowing as usual, although there aren't any small craft wind advisories active.
~~~ I must admit that I'm looking forward to what should be coming our way later in the week, from what was a major category 4 hurricane in the eastern Pacific last week. Please note, this is in the past tense, this hurricane has been retired, and all that's left will be a possible increase in showers here in the islands…with no wind. You can see what's left of this old hurricane by checking out this satellite image. First find the Hawaiian Islands in the far lower left hand corner, and then look to the east-northeast, or towards California, and you will see those brighter white clouds that are running more or less north to south. That's the high and middle level clouds, with a couple of thunderstorms, that are moving northward out of the tropics. Just to the south of that area is what's left of Eugene at the surface levels, and this area will be carried west on the low level trade flow. How much of that leftover moisture will arrive here in the islands, is still a question. I will be tracking that showery area however, and will be writing more about it over the next several days.
~~~ Ok, that's it for now, I'm heading back upcountry to Kula, and will catch up with you again early Tuesday morning. I hope you have a great Monday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.
Interesting: A 2011 Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help parents choose safer, PVC-free school supplies has been released. The guide is coming out just in time for back-to-school shopping. Parents across the country are stocking up on binders and lunchboxes. But while it's easy to know the healthiest foods to pack in those lunchboxes, many parents are not aware of the toxic plastic used to make them. In fact, the average child's character-themed backpack is filled with supplies and materials made from the most toxic plastic for our health and environment, polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl).
A new 2011 study found PVC is the most widely used hazardous plastic in the world. Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, lead and dioxin, that are released by the PVC lifecycle. These chemicals are linked to chronic diseases on the rise in children including learning and developmental disabilities, asthma, obesity and cancer.
"Parents have a right to know about toxic chemicals in children's products," said Mike Schade, PVC Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ). "Unfortunately, many school supplies are made out of PVC or vinyl plastic, the most toxic plastic for our health and the environment. This plastic can contain a toxic stew of phthalates, lead, cadmium, and organotins-it's a recipe for disaster. Thankfully parents can now find safer and affordable products for their children with our 2011 Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies."
CHEJ is releasing the expanded 4th Annual Edition of their popular Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help parents make informed and safer shopping choices. Over thirty-five categories of school supplies, from backpacks to lunchboxes and computers, are covered in the guide. A wallet-sized version is also available.
A few of the top tips for avoiding toxic PVC school supplies are:
1. Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and may contain lead.
2. Use cloth lunchboxes or metal lunchboxes. Many lunchboxes are made of PVC, or coated with PVC on the inside.
3. Used cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders. Most 3-ring binders are made of PVC.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) contains dangerous chemical additives such as phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to a child's health. Over 90% of all phthalates are used to soften PVC products. While phthalates have been banned in toys, they are still used in children's school supplies and other PVC products. PVC is also a major source of dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to science. Dioxin has been targeted for international phase-out by a treaty signed by over 170 nations across the world.
In response to PVC's toxic lifecycle, leading corporations such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Target, Sears Holdings and others have pledged to phase out or reduce the use of PVC. Over 100 healthcare institutions are reducing or eliminating PVC. Both Congress and the President's Cancer Panel have called for greater regulation of such toxic chemicals in consumer products, but parents can act now to protect their children's health by making smart shopping choices.
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