Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Wednesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 86
Honolulu airport, Oahu – 90 (record for Wednesday – 93 in 1985)
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Molokai airport – 86
Kahului airport, Maui – 87
Kona airport 86
Hilo airport, Hawaii – 86
Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 5pm Wednesday evening:
Barking Sands, Kauai – 85
Hilo, Hawaii – 79
Haleakala Crater – M (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 34 (over 13,500 feet on the Big Island)
Here are the 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Wednesday evening:
0.62 Kilohana, Kauai
0.32 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.00 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.20 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.23 Waiakea Uka, Big Island
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
Trade winds through the week…strengthening –
modestly increased showers locally into Thursday
The trade winds will increase some Thursday into the weekend. Glancing at this weather map, we find a near 1028 millibar high pressure system to the northeast of our islands. At the same time we have a trough of low pressure moving by just to our north. Our local trade winds will remain generally in the light to moderately strong realms Wednesday, increasing Thursday…remaining active through the next week.
Our trade winds will remain active…the following numbers represent the strongest gusts (mph), along with directions Wednesday evening:
12 Lihue, Kauai – NE
24 Honolulu, Oahu – NE
29 Molokai – NE
24 Kahoolawe – NE
24 Kapalua, Maui – NE
15 Lanai – NE
25 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 Wednesday evening. Looking at this NOAA satellite picture we find just a few scattered clouds…mostly over the ocean offshore from the islands at the time of this writing. There are rather extensive high level cirrus clouds just to our southwest, spreading over the Big Island at the time of this writing…coming off of the tops of thunderstorms in the deeper tropics. We can use this looping satellite image to see the low clouds moving along in the easterly trade wind flow, although not many at the time of this writing. Meanwhile, there are impressive thunderstorms well to our south…with high cirrus being carried along in the strong high level winds. Checking out this looping radar image we see just a few showers around, most of which are falling over the ocean.
Sunset Commentary: It looks like the chance of increased showers has faded for the moment, with the trade winds finally ready to accelerate. There is a trough of low pressure, with its associated cold air aloft moving by to the north, which can sometimes make our overlying atmosphere more shower prone. There needs to be moisture for this cold air to work with however, in terms of its enhancing influence. This moisture seems to be in short supply this evening. Although, there is a more or less north to south oriented band of clouds…not too far to our east. This band looks like it could “turn things around” in terms of those anticipated increasing showers…at some point between late tonight into Thursday. Before we get too excited however, shower activity won't amount to all that much, but we'll be happy to have whatever it brings us.
Meanwhile, the trade winds are truckin’ along pretty steadily at the moment. As the aforementioned trough finally moves off to the west, these winds may cross the border into the small craft wind advisory level…at least in those windiest areas around Maui County and the Big Island over the next couple of days. The way it looks from here, these late summer trade winds have no limits on their continued presence here in Hawaii. As I was mentioning here yesterday, they will likely continue through this last week of summer. These trades will keep most of the upcoming showers falling down along our windward coasts and slopes. It wouldn’t be too surprising though, to see a few reaching over into the leeward sides here and there.
Here in Kihei, Maui at 530pm HST Wednesday evening, skies were mostly clear to partly cloudy. The trade winds kicked-up during the afternoon, and are still moving along smartly. These trade winds, as noted above, will be a big part of our local Hawaiian Island weather picture well into the future. Those incoming showers that I was discussing above, should begin arriving later tonight along our windward sides, and last into Thursday to some degree. It appears that most of the showers will miss the islands, moving by to our north. ~~~ I'm not too far away from heading back upcountry to Kula, and as always, I love getting home in order to get out for my evening walk. I'll be back early Thursday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Wednesday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.
Email Glenn James: 
