Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha Paragraphs / May 12-13, 2014

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday:

77  Lihue, Kauai
81  Honolulu, Oahu
75  Molokai
77  Kahului, Maui
85  Kailua Kona
82  Hilo, Hawaii

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops on Maui and the Big Island…as of 810pm Monday evening:

Kailua Kona – 78
Hana airport, Maui – 68

Haleakala Summit –   45 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 39 (13,000+ 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.

Aloha Paragraphs

We’re back into a fairly normal trade wind weather pattern, although
the recent frontal cloud band will keep windward biased showers
falling over parts of the state for a couple more days…along
with locally gusty trade winds

Small Craft Wind Advisory major channels between the islands…
and Maalaea Bay on Maui

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

21  Poipu, Kauai – NE
30  Makua Range, Oahu – ENE
28  Molokai – NE
31  Lanai – NE
32  Kahoolawe – NNE
24  Kapalua, Maui – NE
30  Kealakomo, Big Island – ENE 

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands…as of Monday evening (545pm totals):

0.72  Kilohana, Kauai
4.49  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.36  Molokai
0.02  Lanai
0.05  Kahoolawe
0.97  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.59  Kawainui Stream, 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 Narrative ~~~

Northeast winds are now active, with moderately strong breezes continuing through this week…locally a bit stronger at times. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a real-time wind profile of the central Pacific…focused on the Hawaiian Islands. ~~~ We see moderately strong high pressure systems far to the northeast and northwest of our islands. They have ridges of high pressure located offshore to the north and east of the state. At the same time, we see a gale low pressure system to our north-northeast, with an associated frontal boundary breaking through this ridge…located just offshore to the south and east of the Big Island at the time of this writing. Our local winds will remain active through Wednesday, then slip a notch Thursday and Friday, as a cold front moves by to our north. As we move into early next week, we may see yet another late season cold front approaching, which could turn our winds light again, from the southeast…which means there could be another brief round of voggy weather.

Satellite imagery shows remnant moisture from the late season frontal boundary…draped along our windward sides. Looking at this larger satellite image, we see that this cloud band is bringing its remnant moisture over the area between the Big Island, Maui County, up through Oahu. At the same time we see areas of high cirrus clouds well to the southeast, southwest, and west of the state…being carried along in the strong winds aloft. Here’s a looping radar image, showing generally light showers falling, as they spread across our windward coasts and slopes, with the primary axis of showers over the eastern islands at the time of this writing. 

Showers continue to fall along our windward sides, most notably from Maui County down through parts of the Big Island. This ragged frontal cloud band has stalled over Maui County and the Big Island, although showers extend back up to Oahu. The bulk of the showers that will hang on over the next couple of days, will be focused along our windward coasts and slopes…with a few sneaking over into the leeward sides at times. It appears that we’ll turn drier after mid-week, with the trade winds continuing to blow. The models show yet another late season cold front approaching the islands early next week, although it’s likely to stall before reaching Kauai around next Monday. This early next week front may be able veer out winds back towards the southeast again, bringing back volcanic haze again then. I’ll be back again early Tuesday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Monday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Here on Maui, at the 3,100 foot elevation, at my upper Kula, Maui weather tower, the air temperature was 59.2 degrees at 610am on this Monday morning. Skies are mostly clear here in Kula, although looking over towards the windward sides, they are cloudy with showers falling. Those windward sides here on Maui, and on most of the other islands, will remain quite cloudy, with off and on showers continuing for the next couple of days. The island of Kauai is mostly out of this shower activity at the moment, as is the southern part of the Big Island generally too. This type of late season rainfall is very beneficial, as we head towards our dry summer season. This is especially true, given the fact that we have an El Nino weather pattern slated to arrive this summer into the fall months. El Nino is infamous for bringing drought conditions to the Hawaiian Islands! El Nino is also remembered as bringing larger than normal winter surf to our north and west shores…as well as a more active tropical cyclone season in the eastern and central Pacific.

We’re a little later into the morning now at 750am, with the windward low clouds having shifted into parts of Kula. These clouds are being blown over from the windward side…bringing a cool mist. The air temperature is 67.6 degrees, with this cool breeze getting my wind chimes going pretty wildly at times.

It’s now 1230pm, under clear to partly cloudy skies, with occasional gusty winds, and an air temperature of 77.4 degrees. We had periods of light mist move overhead earlier today, although that has shifted back over towards the windward sides again. Glancing down country into the central valley, I can see that the clouds coming in off the ocean in Kahului and Wailuku, are then impacting the West Maui Mountain slopes…and being channeled over towards Maalaea Bay. The winds have become an issue today, in the wake of this cloud band, which is called a shear line in the met community. The NWS forecast office has issued a small craft wind advisory for the major channels between the islands, and the Maalaea Bay too. These gusty winds have been reaching 40 mph and more thus far today, while those areas with less exposure…are experiencing less windy conditions.  Update at 2pm, its cloudy with light showers, with an air temperature of 76.8 degrees. Another update now at 230pm, it’s steadily raining, with an air temperature of 72.7 degrees.

It’s now early evening at 540pm, under mostly clear skies, light breezes, and an air temperature of 74.1 degrees. My neighbor just got back from a quick trip down to Makawao town, and found wet and windy weather there…which is just 10 minutes down the road from here. I’m excited about dinner this evening, as I sauteed shallots, organic butter and olive oil in a pan, along with some rosemary…before adding a package of skinless, boneless organic chicken thighs. At the same time, I put organic red potatoes (quartered), and sliced zucchini in my toaster oven, with olive oil dribbled on it, and a bit of rosemary on those too. It all turned out great, and rather than having a glass of white wine with it, I’ll pour a glass of zinfandel to have with it as well. I’ve popped a 2012 Saldo, from the Prisoner Wine Company. The word “saldo” has various meanings throughout the romance languages of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. In Spanish, it mainly refers to “balance on hand,” and sometimes it can also be interpreted “from here and there.” This ruby red Zinfandel blend represents the very best lots of grapes from vineyards all across Northern California. Bold in its dark berry aroma and laced with hints of cardamom and fall spices, its finish has persistent notes of chocolate and rich coffee bean.


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Atlantic Ocean: The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.
Here’s the 2013 hurricane season summary

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

Caribbean Sea:

Gulf of Mexico:

Here’s a satellite image of the Caribbean Sea…and the Gulf of Mexico.

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

Eastern Pacific: The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15th through November 30th. Here’s the 2013 hurricane season summary

Here’s a wide satellite image that covers the entire area between Mexico, out through the central Pacific…to the International Dateline.