Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Wednesday:
84 Lihue, Kauai
89 Honolulu, Oahu
86 Molokai
90 Kahului, Maui – record high for today (July 2nd)…was 91 back in 1951
86 Kailua Kona
80 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 743pm Wednesday evening:
Honolulu, Oahu – 82
Hilo, Hawaii – 73
Haleakala Summit – 45 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 41 (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
Strengthening trades…remaining active well into the future
There will be some passing showers along the windward sides,
mostly at night…just a few elsewhere around the state
Looping satellite image…showing clouds being carried along
by the trade wind breezes
Small Craft Wind Advisory…windiest areas around Maui
County and the Big Island
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph), along with directions…as of Wednesday evening
20 Port Allen, Kauai – NE
23 Honolulu AP, Oahu – NNE
24 Molokai – NE
30 Lanai – NE
35 Kahoolawe – ENE
29 Kahului, Maui – NE
35 South Point, Big Island – NE
Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands…as of Wednesday evening (845pm totals):
0.16 Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.55 Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.13 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.07 Kahoolawe
2.90 Puu Kukui, Maui
2.14 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 ~~~
Our local winds will strengthen a bit more…lasting through the the middle of next week at least. 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 have a moderately strong high pressure system located to the northeast of the state. At the same time, we have a weak cold front draped between this high pressure cell and our islands. The models suggest that the trade winds will remain active, with no end in sight, generally in the moderately strong realms…locally stronger around the eastern islands at times.
Satellite imagery shows low clouds around the islands in places…along with some high cirrus clouds just southeast of the Big Island. Looking at this larger looping satellite image, it shows those low level clouds riding along in the trade wind flow. There are a few high cirrus far to our north, and those south and southeast of the Big Island. Here’s the looping radar, showing passing showers arriving over our islands in some locations, especially the eastern islands at the time of this writing. The windward sides will receive most of these showers, although the leeward sides will find a couple falling on the smaller islands at times…mostly during the cooler nighttime hours.
There will be subtle changes in both wind speed and rainfall…although pretty minor fluctuations in general through the end of the week at least. The trade winds will slowly rebound in strength into Thursday, lasting through the rest of this week at least. As is often the case, most showers that grace our shores and slopes will occur during the night and early morning hours. The overlying atmosphere remains quite dry and stable, which will limit showers some, at least in terms of intensity. There are those common patches of showery clouds upstream, which will bring some moisture our way periodically. I’ll be back early Thursday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Wednesday 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 a 59.2 degrees at 550am on this Wednesday morning. Skies are clear in most directions, while the windward sides have some passing clouds and a few showers…which stretch over the West Maui Mountains as well. Otherwise, it looks like the beginning of another nice day here in paradise! Update at 1020am, under very cloudy skies, light breezes, and a very light shower…the air temperature was 71.6 degrees. Looking down into the central valley however, I can see partial sunshine there.
We’re into the early afternoon now at 1230pm, under cloudy skies, light breezes, dry conditions…and an air temperature of 73.8 degrees. Update at 345pm, cloudy, light breeze, lightly showering…with an air temperature of 73.4 degrees. Update at 420pm, cloudy, showers…73.6 degrees.
It’s now 610pm early this evening, under partly cloudy skies, no showers…and an air temperature of 77 degrees. The weather here in Hawaii continues to be mild and uneventful, at least compared other parts of the tropical oceans of the world. We have a new system in the western Pacific, a storm in the eastern Pacific…and of course strengthening TS Arthur in the Atlantic. Who knows how long this dry spell in tropical cyclone activity will last here in the central Pacific, although certainly not forever. We’re lucky now, and I don’t think any one here in the islands…has a problem with that!
World-wide tropical cyclone activity:
Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane 01L (Arthur) remains active, and will be strengthening a bit more over the next few days. Here’s the NHC graphical track map…along with a satellite image. Here’s what the hurricane models are showing for this tropical cyclone.
Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean
Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones expected through the next 5 days
Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones expected through the next 5 days
Here’s a satellite image of the Caribbean Sea…and the Gulf of Mexico.
Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)
North Eastern Pacific: Tropical Storm 04E (Douglas) remains active, and will be weakening over the next few days. Here’s the NHC graphical track map…along with a satellite image. Here’s what the hurricane models are showing for this tropical cyclone.
Here’s a wide satellite image that covers the entire area between Mexico, out through the central Pacific…to the International Dateline.
Central Pacific Ocean: No tropical cyclones are expected through the next two days
Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)
Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression 08W is now active, and will be strengthening over the next several days. 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: There are no active tropical cyclones
Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)
Interesting: EPA Proposes New Standards for Landfills, Hopes to Reduce Methane Emissions– As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan — Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing updates to its air standards for new municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. These updates would require certain landfills to capture additional landfill gas, which would reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and help further reduce pollution that harms public health.
Non-hazardous waste from homes, business and institutions ends up in municipal solid waste landfills, where it decomposes and breaks down to form landfill gas, which includes carbon dioxide, a number of air toxics and methane. Methane has a global warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide.
“Reducing methane emissions is a powerful way to take action on climate change,” said Administrator Gina McCarthy. “This latest step from the President’s methane strategy builds on our progress to date and takes steps to cut emissions from landfills through common-sense standards.”
This proposal would require new MSW landfills subject to the rule to begin controlling landfill gas at a lower emissions threshold than currently required. Under the proposal, landfills would capture two-thirds of their methane and air toxics emissions by 2023 — 13 percent more than required under current rules. EPA estimates the net nationwide annual costs of complying with the additional requirements in the proposed rule would be $471,000 in 2023.
Today, methane accounts for nearly 9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane in the country, accounting for 18 percent of methane emissions in 2012. Regulatory and voluntary programs, including the agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program, have helped reduce emissions from landfills by 30 percent from 1990 to 2012. However, without additional actions, methane emissions are projected to increase through 2030.
The EPA has also issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) seeking broad public input on whether and how to update current emissions guidelines for existing landfills to further reduce their emissions, including methane. The agency is considering updating those guidelines based on a several factors, including significant changes that have occurred in the landfill industry since the original guidelines were issued in 1996. Nearly 1,000 MSW landfills in the U.S. currently are subject to either the 1996 emission guidelines for existing landfills or the 1996 NSPS for new landfills.
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