Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday:
Lihue, Kauai – 78
Honolulu airport, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – M
Molokai airport – 80
Kahului airport, Maui – 81 (Record high temperature for the date: 88 in 1951)
Kona airport – 81
Hilo airport, Hawaii – 71
Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 5pm Saturday evening:
Kailua-kona – 77
Princeville, Kauai – 70
Haleakala Crater – 39 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea – 27 (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 east to southeast – windward showers,
elsewhere at times too, locally heavy – showers
remaining in the forecast…with stronger trades arriving
as we push into the new work week ahead – rising
hazardous surf along the east shores Monday
Flood advisory until 9am on Oahu
As this weather map shows, we have strong high pressure systems to the northeast and northwest of the islands. At the same time we have a trough of low pressure over the state. Our winds will be locally gusty from the east to southeast directions through Sunday…and then increasing thereafter into the new week ahead.
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph), along with directions Saturday evening:
16 Princeville, Kauai – ENE
18 Kaneohe, Oahu – ESE
07 Molokai – SW
32 Kahoolawe – ESE
24 Lipoa, Maui – SE
04 Lanai – SE
22 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 Saturday afternoon. 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 Kauai and the Big Island and Maui. We can use this looping satellite image to see heavy duty showery clouds over parts of the state, with thunderstorms popping-up in places. 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 Saturday evening:
4.21 Kapahi, Kauai
9.83 Moanalua RG, Oahu!
1.12 Molokai
0.02 Kahoolawe
1.57 Kaupo Gap, Maui
5.02 Hilo airport, Big Island
Sunset Commentary: There were still those showery clouds that continue to bring locally heavy rainfall, located over the ocean for the most part…although over the islands in places too. Meanwhile, high pressure to our northwest and northeast is helping to bring east to southeast winds our way. These winds will carry showery clouds towards us at times through the rest of this weekend. This moisture will generally fall upon the windward coasts and slopes, with other showers or rain falling elsewhere at times too. Meanwhile, there will continue to be lots of moisture in our area, which will keep conditions off and on wet, at least here and there…into the first half of the new week ahead as well.
Here in Kula, Maui at 555pm HST, we had calm winds, partly to mostly cloudy skies…and an air temperature of 66.7F degrees. Satellite imagery still shows some heavy duty clouds around Kauai and Oahu, and then down over the Big Island too…which continues to threaten those islands with flooding precipitation. Meanwhile, the winds will be blowing light to moderately strong, generally from the east to southeast. These of course will carry showers to our windward sides at times, although the leeward sides will catch some of these showery clouds too. This looping radar image shows very clearly that there is still rainfall happening over and around the islands. All of the islands have received some of this wet weather, although at the time of this writing, Kauai, Oahu, and the Big Island were being threatened the most. I would highly suggest that folks drive with extreme care, especially if you find yourself in one of these localized heavy downpours. ~~~ I had a good day, after breakfast with those same folks that I had a dinner party with last night, we all got together for breakfast at a local Kula French restaurant. We continued our good conversations from last night, over coffee and a nice meal. One of those folks and I drove down to Paia for some food shopping, and on the way driving back upcountry noticed how dark and threatening the clouds looked over the Haleakala Crater. I dropped her off at her house a couple miles down the mountain from where I live, where it was just sprinkling. By the time I drove up to my house, maybe 5-6 minutes further up the mountain, it was virtually pouring down rain. I sat in my car for a while waiting for it to taper off, but it didn't, so I got a bit wet running from my car to my house. It didn't take long before it was thundering and lightning up a storm, with what turned out to be 1.30" of rain. The rest of the afternoon it off and on rained or showered, and then backed off nicely before sunset, which turned out to be quite colorful…mixed with some fog around the edges. I just had a nice potato, broccoli and Mahimahi dinner, and am settling in for some reading, and likely turning in early. I'll be back Sunday morning with your next new weather narrative, unless conditions warrant my coming back with additional updates before that. I hope you have a great Saturday night wherever you happen to be 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.
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David Hume Says:
Fantastic lava video, thank you.~~~Hey David, thanks, really liked it myself! Aloha, Glenn