Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / March 2-3, 2012

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

Lihue, Kauai –                     78  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –       80   
Kaneohe, Oahu –                 M
Molokai airport –                  82
Kahului airport, Maui –          84 (Record high temperature for the date: 88 in 2006)
Kona airport –                     81
Hilo airport, Hawaii –            76 

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 12am Saturday morning:

Kailua-kona – 74
Princeville, Kauai – 66

Haleakala Crater –  39 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea –         23 (near 13,800 feet on the Big Island)

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live web cam on the summit of near 13,800 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. This web cam is 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. Here's the Haleakala Crater webcam on Maui.

 Aloha Paragraphs

  Our winds will be easing up some – lots of windward showers,
elsewhere at times too…locally heavy – showers increasing
as a front moves through the state later Sunday into Monday – stronger
trades following in its wake…through about Wednesday or Thursday

Flood Advisory on Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island  

As this weather map shows, we have a near 1037 millibar high pressure system to the northeast of the islands. At the same time we have a low pressure system to the -north-northwest of Kauai, with an associated trough and cold front, which will approaching the state later this weekend into early next week. Our winds will be locally quite gusty from the east to southeast directions…gradually becoming lighter into the weekend, and then surging thereafter.

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph), along with directions Friday evening:

06                 Princeville, Kauai – SW 
17                 Kaneohe, Oahu – E
07                 Molokai – NW   
35                    Kahoolawe – E  
27                 Lipoa, Maui – SE  
09                 Lanai – NNE 
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 Friday night.  Looking at this NOAA satellite picture we see low, middle and high level clouds over the ocean, stretching over the islands in places…especially near the Big Island and parts of Maui. We can use this looping satellite image to see showery clouds close to Kauai, with a band of lower showery clouds along the windward sides of the other islands…with those towering cumulus clouds or perhaps thunderstorms. Checking out this looping radar image we see light to moderate showers, with heavier ones mixed in at the time of this writing.

Here are the 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Friday night:
 
1.50               Wailua, Kauai
11.22                 Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.55               Molokai
0.01               Kahoolawe
0.72               Kaupo Gap, Maui
2.04               Waiakea Uka, Big Island  

Sunset Commentary:  There were still those heavy showers to the west of Kauai today, located over the ocean, some coming very close to that island…and on Oahu too. Meanwhile, high pressure to our northwest and northeast is helping to bring trade winds our way…veering locally to the southeast in places. These winds will carry showery clouds towards us at times through the weekend.  This moisture will generally fall upon the windward coasts and slopes, with a few falling elsewhere at times too. Meanwhile, a frontal cloud band may move down through the state later Sunday into next Monday, bringing increased showers. The trade winds will likely surge in the wake of this showery frontal passage through the first half of next week.

Here in Kula, Maui at 545pm HST, we had light winds, partly cloudy skies, some light volcanic haze (vog)…and an air temperature of 64.9F degrees. Satellite imagery still shows some heavy duty clouds to our west…which continue to threaten the islands of Kauai and to a lesser extent Oahu. Meanwhile, the winds will be blowing light to moderately strong, gradually easing up a bit more, and veering to the southeast locally as we move into the weekend. These of course will carry showers to our windward sides at times, although the leeward sides will be in better shape, they could catch some of these showery clouds on the smaller islands too. The trade winds may become significantly stronger in the wake of a frontal boundary as it moves through the state into Monday…remaining active for several days into the new work week. There are signs by a few of the computer models, that the winds may not surge all that drastically, as these models have been all over the map, so to speak. The main thing though, and this seems quite certain, is that the bulk of whatever showers that are around by Sunday onwards into Monday or so, will likely be concentrating their efforts most effectively on the Kauai end of the island chain. ~~~  I'm having dinner and a few drinks with my astrophysicist neighbor, and another friend who is a chief financial officer (CFO) for a Maui based high tech company. We all see each other early in the mornings, on the road either quickly walking (me), or them running. We have great talks when we get together, and I anticipate that tonight will be no exception. I'll be back again Saturday morning, the timing will depend upon how many shots of Jeff's high quality tequila I decide to have! I hope you have a great Friday night wherever you're spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Extra: Youtube video showing rivers of molten lava on the Big Island – February 2012

Interesting:  The number of Americans who believe global warming is happening is on the rise, according to a Brookings Institution report on the latest National Survey of American Public Opinion on Climate Change (NSAPOCC) survey. The report shows much of that new-found belief comes from direct experience with independent studies showing that four out of five Americans have been directly impacted by climate change. 2011 was a "year for the record books" bringing record drought and heat waves, hurricanes, floods, winter storms and wildfires.

In all, there were 14 record climate and weather-related events in 2011, each causing at least $1 billion in damage. Hurricane Irene alone caused more than $7 billion in damages. According to the latest NSAPOCC survey, 62 percent of Americans believe that global warming is real, more than at any time since 2009 when 65 percent held that belief.

Public perception has changed significantly since the 2010 survey, when only 58 percent felt the evidence for global warming was compelling. Of course, for some, there is little that will sway their disbelief that global warming is occurring. Though the number of people denying climate change has dropped to 26 percent, those who are left are dug in, and mostly Republican.

Only 47 percent of Republicans believe there is evidence of global warming, as opposed to nearly 80 percent for Democrats. Rabe said those who believe there is no evidence of climate change, though fewer in numbers, are highly certain in that belief. ”On either side of the issue, both for and against, people tend to give a generally solid level of confidence,” he said. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t movers or people who can’t be changed,” Rabe added.

Instead of approaching climate change as a “third rail” issue never to be touched except in its denial, some conservatives still call for a more sensible approach. Last year former Republican congressman Bob Ingles pleaded for his conservative colleagues to “return to true conservatism” in dealing with global warming. Whatever people choose to believe, and for whatever reason, extreme weather and climate events pay little heed.

A swath of destructive, late-winter tornadoes tore through the U.S. midwest yesterday, killing at least 12 and injuring hundreds more, bringing back uncomfortable memories of last year’s record-breaking tornado season. Extreme weather events like those scene across the country last year and in the midwest yesterday, are quickly becoming part of the “new normal” all Americans can expect to experience more often in a warming world.