Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / March 4-5, 2012

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

Lihue, Kauai –                     73  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –       77   
Kaneohe, Oahu –                 M
Molokai airport –                 78
Kahului airport, Maui –           80 
Kona airport –                       81
Hilo airport, Hawaii –           79 

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops…as of 5pm Sunday evening:

Kailua-kona – 77
Lihue, Kauai – 68

Haleakala Crater –  52 (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…although this webcam is often not working correctly.

 Aloha Paragraphs

  Our winds will be generally light from Oahu to the
Big Island – blowing generally from south to east.

Showers or rain, locally heavy…with isolated thunderstorms
over Kauai and Oahu through Monday…showers
remaining in the forecast elsewhere

Wind advisory on the Big Island summits

 

As this weather map shows, we have strong high pressure systems to the northeast and north-northwest of the islands. At the same time we have a cold front just north and northwest of Kauai. Our winds will be generally from the south to east, increasing later in the new week. 

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

20                 Lihue, Kauai – NE 
12                 Wheeler AFB, Oahu – NW
12                 Molokai – NE  
27                    Kahoolawe – SE   
18                 Lipoa, 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 Sunday evening.  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, Oahu and Maui County. 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…and a few thunderstorms mixed in at the time of this writing.

Here are the 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Sunday evening
 
13.01               Mount Waialeale, Kauai
6.88               Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu!
0.20               Molokai
0.00               Kahoolawe
0.67               Puu Kukui, Maui
1.02               Ahumoa, Big Island  

Sunset Commentary:  The atmosphere remains shower prone over all the islands, especially near Kauai and Oahu. There are 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 north-northwest and northeast is helping to bring light to moderate east to southeast winds for the most part. The one exception to these lighter winds will be Kauai, as stronger winds arrive there Monday. The rest of the state will have to wait a few more days, before those strong trade winds push down into the rest of the chain. Meanwhile, there will continue to be lots of moisture in our area, which will keep conditions off and on wet…through the first couple of days of the new week ahead.

A cold front is expected to reach Kauai, and perhaps may even pass down to near Oahu during the day Monday. This frontal boundary will act as a focus for more locally heavy rainfall at times, and thus keeping the possibility of more flooding for those islands going. This front isn't expected to reach any further into the island chain, which will keep Maui County and the Big Island less shower prone. These eastern islands won't be under the most intense rainshield, although are apt to see at least some shower activity continuing, especially perhaps Molokai. It appears that we'll have to wait until around Wednesday before we see this inclement weather pattern finally shifting away. This will keep the threat of rainfall in our weather forecast, particularly over the Kauai end of the island chain through Monday and perhaps Tuesday as well. 

Here in Kula, Maui at 520pm HST, we had light winds, cloudy skies, although the showers and thunderstorms that occurred earlier in the afternoon…had backed off. Satellite imagery still shows heavy duty clouds around Kauai and Oahu, which are trying to extend towards Maui County at the time of this writing. Meanwhile, the winds will be blowing lightly for the most part, generally from the east to southeast. This looping radar image shows 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 parts of Maui County 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, which are expected to extend into Monday. I'll be keeping a close eye on this very wet and unsettled weather pattern, and will come back online at times. At very least, I'll be back early Monday morning with your next regularly scheduled sunrise commentary. Again, please be very careful when you are out and about in those rainiest areas! I hope you have a great Sunday 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.