Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / January 3-4, 2013

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

Lihue, Kauai –                         74  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –           76  
Molokai airport –                      71
Kahului airport, Maui –             80 
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 Thursday evening:

Kailua Kona – 77
Hana airport, Maui – 69

Haleakala Summit –   39       (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 36      (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

 
Our winds will be from the trade wind direction…
increasing significantly today into the weekend

Partly to mostly cloudy, with some clear
periods, showers, especially windward
sections, although elsewhere at times
too…remaining relatively cool

Small Craft Advisory for strong and gusty winds…
producing hazardous seas – all marine zones

~~~Air temperature at 540am HST Friday morning, with
  clear skies, calm winds…at my upcountry
Kula, Maui weather tower: 55F degrees~~~

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

33       Port Allen, Kauai – NE
42       Kuaokala, Oahu – NNE
33       Molokai – NE     
35       Kahoolawe – NE
32       Lipoa, Maui – E 
M        Lanai 
35       Pali 2, Big Island – NNE

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Thursday evening:
 
3.03          Kilohana, Kauai
7.20          Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.37          Molokai
0.00          Kahoolawe
2.62          Puu Kukui, Maui
0.04          Pahoa, 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…becoming stronger into the weekend.  Here's a weather chart showing high pressure centers to our northeast through north-northwest. At the same time, we find a cold front extending southward from a gale low pressure system spinning offshore from the Washington state coast…over the central islands. The trade winds will remain well established through the rest of this first week of 2013…becoming stronger later Friday into the weekend. This evening before sunset, we found a 40+ gust being registered at the Kuaokala, Oahu anemometer.

Periods of clouds…with showers locally. Here's a satellite image, showing partly to mostly cloudy skies this evening…with a few clear patches locally. There were high cirrus clouds moving away to the east and south of the Big Island. In addition, we have a cold front that's stalled and weakening over the central islands, from Maui up to Kauai. Here's a larger satellite view of all the clouds that are located over the islands, and in all directions…out over the ocean. 

Relatively cool trade winds remain in place, bringing windward showers to the islands. 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. Showers from this frontal boundary never reached the Big Island, with the most generous rainfall sticking closely to Oahu during the last 24 hours. The most significant precipitation amount by far, was the 7.20" amount in the Koolau mountains on Oahu! 

Meanwhile, the trade winds are forecast to accelerate quite remarkably Friday into the weekend…making for blustery winter conditions.  During this period we'll see small craft wind advisory flags up over all of our marine environment…from Kauai right down to the Big Island. We already have a gale watch issued for the Pailolo (between Molokai and Maui) and Alenuihaha Channels (between Maui and the Big Island)…beginning Friday morning. We could see wind advisories going up over parts of the islands themselves as well.

This is a time to begin battening down the hatches, if you live in one of those wind prone areas…where the trade winds are typically strong and gusty. Winds will be gusting up into the 40-50+ mph range, making for very rough and choppy ocean conditions into the weekend.  I would think twice before going out into the ocean over the next several days, unless that is…you're with experienced captains. I'll be back with more updates in the morning on this upcoming windy episode, I hope you have a great Thursday night wherever you're spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Interesting facts: About 75 acres of pizza are eaten in in the U.S. everyday / Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead  

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 (Sonamu) remains active…located approximately 430 NM east-southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Sustained winds were 35 knots, with gusts to near 45 knots. This tropical storm will increase in strength slowly…as it moves through 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 260 NM south-southwest of La Reunion Island. Sustained winds were 70 knots, with gusts to near 85 knots. This tropical cyclone will gradually decrease in strength, as it moves over open ocean. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.