Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Tuesday…along with the minimum temperatures Tuesday:

82 – 64  Lihue, Kauai
83 – 65  Honolulu, Oahu
83 – 62  Molokai AP
84 – 64  Kahului, Maui
81 – 69  Kailua Kona
84 – 66  Hilo, Hawaii

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands, as of Tuesday evening:

0.01  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.01  Schofield east, Oahu
0.04  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.12  Kepuni, Maui
0.33  Lower Kahuku, Big Island


The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph)…as of Tuesday evening:


14  Puu Opae, Kauai – SSW
13  Kii, Oahu – SE
17  Molokai – ESE
10  Lanai – SW
24  Kahoolawe – NE
13  Kaupo Gap, Maui – SE
21  South Point, Big Island – NE


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

 

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/ir4.jpg
Clear to partly cloudy across the state…with
cold fronts offshore to the northwest

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/ir4.jpg
Clear conditions over most of the state


http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/RadarImg/hawaii.gif
A few showers…although mostly dry weather



~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~


High Surf Warning…north and west shores of Kauai,
Oahu, Molokai, and north shore of Maui, west
shores of the Big Island

High Surf Advisory…west shores of Maui, Lanai and
Kahoolawe, and for south shores of Oahu 

Small Craft Advisory…for all waters except Maalaea Bay


Generally light winds through mid-week…then increasing south to southwest winds later in the week. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a real-time wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a high pressure system far to the northeast, with a ridge stretched back over the islands. At the same time, we have low pressure systems far to the north and northwest, with cold fronts to the northwest of the state. The volcanic haze (vog) is taking a short break across our area now, although there continues to be some around in places. Light and variable winds will settle in across the entire state soon. This in turn will bring the volcanic haze back around in many parts of the state. Thereafter, a cold front will approach the state, bringing gusty southwest winds later Thursday into Saturday. This cold front will usher in chilly weather for a day or two in its wake by the weekend, followed by strong and gusty trade winds by early next week.

Rainfall will be sparse for the time being, with just a few showers here and there…followed by increasing showers Friday into the weekend. Here’s the looping radar image showing very few showers across our area…mostly over the ocean at this time. Generally dry, pleasant weather conditions should prevail through this first half of the week. There will be clear to partly cloudy mornings, giving way to cloudy conditions along the slopes during the afternoons. These upcountry clouds won’t be doing much shower producing however.  The cold front to our northwest will stall before arriving. Pre-frontal showers from a second cold front later in the week, will likely begin arriving along our leeward sides, brought by strengthening southwest kona winds beginning Thursday. This front is anticipated to arrive Friday into Saturday, bringing an area of showers with it, although it will be weakening as it passes down through the state. The trade winds behind the front may bring showers to our windward sides into early next week.

The big news this week here in the islands will be the very large surf that will be pounding our north and west facing shores…and even our south shores locally! This west-northwest swell is expected to arrive on Kauai tonight, and then spread down the island chain into Wednesday. This likely will be the largest surf that we’ve experienced this winter surf season thus far. The more westerly aspect of this swell will cause shadowing in places…while other areas will be more exposed, such as the west facing shores of the Big Island. Some south facing shores may also experience some swell exposure. This swell is expected to peak Wednesday into Wednesday night…before diminishing slightly on Thursday. A reinforcement to the swell is expected Friday and Saturday, then surf will subside Sunday into next Monday. Tides will be running on the high side during this time, so run-up may be higher than normal. Please be very careful when getting near the ocean in these areas! I’ll be back with more updates on all of the above, I hope you have a great Tuesday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Here in Kula, Maui:  It looks like its clear here on Maui again this morning, although its still too dark to see exactly what kind of clouds and possible vog conditions at the time of this writing. The air temperature dipped into the low 50’s, although not quite getting into the upper 40’s for a change. Now that it’s light enough to see, there’s light to moderately thick volcanic haze in our skies…with generally cloud free conditions otherwise. ~~~ We’re into the middle of the afternoon now, with clear to partly cloudy conditions, and an air temperature of 74.7 degrees. As for the vog, it seems to have thinned quite a bit, as the light breezes have helped to ventilate it downstream…which is a good thing! ~~~ The clouds that collected around the mountains today, are beginning to evaporate as we get into the sunset hour. Most areas here on Maui have remained mostly clear all day, which should remain the case during the night into early Wednesday morning. The air temperature around 6pm was 66.2 degrees, with near calm winds…with light to almost moderately thick vog hanging around. ~~~ And finally, I can see lots of stars shining above at 820pm, so I assume that its mostly clear. The air temperature is falling steadily, with a cool reading of 53.9 degrees. See you tomorrow…


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:


>>> Atlantic Ocean: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2015. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant.


Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean Sea: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2015. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant.


>>> Gulf of Mexico: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2015. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant.


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

>>> Eastern Pacific: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2014 North Pacific hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on May 15, 2015. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant.


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


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


>>> Central Pacific: The central north Pacific hurricane season has officially ended. Routine issuance of the tropical weather outlook will resume on June 1, 2015. During the off-season, special tropical weather outlooks will be issued as conditions warrant.


Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)


>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


 >>> South Pacific Ocean:  Tropical cyclone 07P (Niko) remains active, here’s the JTWC graphical track map for this strengthening tropical storm. Here’s the NOAA satellite image of this system…to the north of Bora Bora.

>>> North and South Indian Oceans: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)

 

Interesting: Global wheat yields threatened by warming with serious consequences – Just one degree of global warming could cut wheat yields by 42 million tons worldwide, around 6% of the crop – causing devastating shortages of this staple food.


Market shortages would cause price rises. Many developing countries, and the hungry poor within them, would not be able to afford wheat or bread.


Climate change threatens dramatic price fluctuations in the price of wheat and potential civil unrest because yields of one of the world’s most important staple foods are badly affected by temperature rise.


An international consortium of scientists have been testing wheat crops in laboratory and field trials in many areas of the world in changing climate conditions and discovered that yields drop on average by 6% for every one degree Celsius rise in temperature.


This represents 42 million tons of wheat lost – about a quarter of the current global wheat trade – for every degree. This would create serious shortages and cause price hikes of the kind that have previously caused food riots in developing countries after only one bad harvest.