Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / January 2-3, 2013

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

Lihue, Kauai –                          76  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –           73  
Molokai airport –                      73
Kahului airport, Maui –             78 
Kona airport     –                   82  
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 730pm Wednesday evening:

Honolulu, Oahu – 68
Lihue, Kauai – 72

Haleakala Summit –   48       (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

Surf on our north and west shores…gradually lowering

Partly to mostly cloudy, showers falling locally…
especially windward sections – remaining cool 

Our winds will be from the trade wind direction, locally
rather strong…increasing later 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 755pm HST Wednesday evening, with
foggy skies, and calm winds…at my upcountry
Kula, Maui weather tower: 62.8F degrees

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

24       Port Allen, Kauai – NE
42       Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
30       Molokai – NE     
30       Kahoolawe – NE
31       Kahului, Maui – NE 
M        Lanai 
35       Upolu airport, Big Island – NE

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Wednesday evening:
 
2.12          Mount Waialeale, Kauai
5.98          Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
2.99          Molokai
0.08          Kahoolawe
5.49          Puu Kukui, Maui
0.09          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 become stronger into the weekend.  Here's a weather chart showing high pressure centers far to our northeast through northwest. At the same time, we find low pressure systems over the ocean far to our north and northeast, with a cold front extending southward…over the central islands. The trade winds will remain well established through the rest of this week…becoming quite a bit stronger by later Friday into the weekend. Wednesday saw wind gusts over 30 mph in some places, with 40+ gusts being registered at the Kuaokala, Oahu anemometer all day!

Periods of clouds…with showers locally. Here's a satellite image, showing partly to mostly cloudy skies this evening. There are high cirrus clouds that are moving through as well, which will provide good sunrise colors Thursday morning…if they're still around. In addition, we have a weakening cold front that is stalled and weakening over the central islands. Here's a larger satellite view of all the clouds that are located over the islands, and in all directions…out over the ocean. This last satellite image shows the major streak of high cirrus that are stretched through the state from Molokai down through the Big Island (at the time of this writing)…and far south from there.

Relatively cool winds remain in place, bringing windward showers to the islands for the time being. This solid trade wind flow will remain in place through the rest 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. Generous showers have fallen, thanks to the entrance of the cold front into our island chain during the past 24 hours.  The wettest rainfall amounts were as follows: 2.12" on Kauai; 5.98" on Oahu; 2.99" on Molokai, and 5.49" on Maui…and only .09" on the Big Island. The showers associated with this front hadn't reached the Big Island at the time of this writing…although may eventually. Meanwhile, the trade winds are forecast to accelerate a notch or even two later in the week into the weekend, making for blustery conditions. I'll be back with your next new weather narrative early Thursday morning. I hope you have a great Wednesday night wherever you're spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Interesting: Did you know that bamboo can grow up to three feet in a 24 hour period!


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:  Tropical cyclone 01W is now active in the western Pacific…located approximately 185 NM northwest of Zamboanga, Philippines. Sustained winds were 25 knots, with gusts to near 35 knots. This tropical depression will increase in strength slowly…as it moves out into the South China Sea. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.

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 85 NM northwest of La Reunion Island. Sustained winds were 65 knots, with gusts to near 80 knots. This tropical cyclone will soon gradually decrease in strength, as it moves past La Reunion…thenout over open ocean to the south and southeast. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.