Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / January 1-2, 2013

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

Lihue, Kauai –                          75  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –           73  
Molokai airport –                      74
Kahului airport, Maui –             80 
Kona airport     –                   81  
Hilo airport, Hawaii –                80

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops around the state…as of 930pm Tuesday evening:

Kailua Kona – 76
Molokai airport – 67

Haleakala Summit –   43       (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 37      (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…if it's available.

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.  The 2012 hurricane season is over in the eastern and central Pacific…resuming on May 15th and June 1st 2013.

Aloha Paragraphs

Large surf on our north and west shores…gradually
lowering through Thursday

Partly cloudy, with cloudy periods, showers falling
locally…especially windward sections 

Our winds will be from the trade wind direction, cool
and locally strong…increasing Friday into the weekend

High surf advisory for north and west shores of Niihau,
Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai…north shore of Maui…and
for west facing beaches on the Big Island of Hawaii

Air temperature at 540am HST Wednesday morning, with
  partly to mostly cloudy skies…at my upcountry Kula, Maui
weather tower: 57.6F degrees

The following numbers represent the most recent top wind gusts (mph), along with directions as of Tuesday evening:

30       Lihue, Kauai – NNE
42       Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
30       Molokai – NE     
23       Kahoolawe – NNE
31       Kahului, Maui – NE 
M        Lanai 
36       Puu Mali, Big Island – NE

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Tuesday evening:
 
5.20          Kilohana, Kauai
3.71          Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
4.60          Molokai
0.00          Kahoolawe
0.87          Puu Kukui, Maui
0.21          Honaunau, Big Island  

We can use the following links to see what’s going on in our area of the north central Pacific Ocean.  Here's the latest NOAA satellite picture – the latest looping satellite image…and finally the latest looping radar image for the Hawaiian Islands.

                   ~~~ Hawaii Weather Commentary ~~~ 

Our winds will remain active from the trade wind direction through Thursday…then stronger still by the weekend.  Here's a weather chart showing high pressure centers far to our  northeast and northwest. At the same time, we find low pressure systems over the ocean far to our north, with a cold front extending southward…into the central islands of our chain. The trade winds will remain well established through the rest of this week…becoming potentially much stronger by later Friday into the weekend. This will become big news, if the models are handling it correctly.

Periods of clouds…with showers locally. Here's a satellite image, showing partly to mostly cloudy skies this morning. There are high cirrus clouds that are moving through as well, which may provide good sunrise colors this morning. In addition, we see a weakening cold front having moved down the state over Maui and close to the Big Island. Here's a larger satellite view of all the clouds that are located over the islands…and in all directions out over the ocean.

A surge of relatively cool winds will fill in behind the front, bringing windward showers to the islands for several days. This solid trade wind flow will remain in place through the better part of this week. These trade winds will keep the remnant cold front's moisture over parts of the state, as off and on passing showers along our windward sides. The trade winds are forecast to accelerate later in the week, into the weekend, making for blustery conditions.  I'll be back early Tuesday morning with your next new weather narrative. Here's wishing you the very best of everything through the next 364 days! Aloha for now…Glenn.

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones

Eastern Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

Central Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

Western Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones 

South Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones 

North and South Indian Oceans:  Tropical cyclone 07S (Dumile) remains active in the south Indian Ocean…located approximately 370 NM north of La Reunion Island. Sustained winds were 55 knots, with gusts to near 70 knots. This tropical cyclone will increase in strength, reaching 65 knots between 12-24 hours. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.