Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday…along with the minimums Monday:
81 – 73 Lihue, Kauai
83 – 71 Honolulu, Oahu
86 – 68 Molokai AP
90 – 65 Kahului AP, Maui
85 – 72 Kailua Kona
85 – 69 Hilo AP, Hawaii
Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands…as of Monday:
0.65 Princeville AP, Kauai
0.83 Kamananui Stream, Oahu
0.04 Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.04 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.28 Hilo AP, Big Island
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph)…as of Monday:
07 Port Allen, Kauai
07 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
07 Molokai
12 Lanai
27 Kahoolawe
10 Kaupo Gap, Maui
14 South Point, 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
Low pressure system over the ocean far to the northeast…with
its associated cold front moving in our direction
Scattered clouds…with the cold front taking aim on our islands,
the leading edge of which is still to the northwest
Clear to partly cloudy across the state…some cloudy areas
Showers falling locally – looping radar image
Small Craft Advisory…most coasts and channels
~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~
Lighter winds from the southeast ahead of a cold front…followed by breezy trade winds. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean. We find high pressure systems far to the northeast and northwest of Hawaii…with an associated ridge in the area north and northwest of the islands. At the same time, we see numerous low pressure systems north and northeast of the islands…along with an approaching cold front offshore to the northwest. This front will cause our winds to veer to the southeast today, and become lighter into Tuesday…which in turn will carry volcanic haze over us locally. The forecast goes on to suggest strong and gusty northeasterly winds arriving in the wake of the frontal passage for a couple of days. The winds will likely calm down again by Friday into the weekend, veering to the southeast…likely carrying more volcanic haze over the state again then.
Here’s a wind profile…of the offshore waters around the islands – with a closer view
Here’s the Hawaiian Islands Sulfate Aerosol…animated graphic – showing vog forecast
Generally fair weather tonight…showers from a cold front Tuesday into Wednesday. The beaches should have nice weather today, although there will be increased clouds and some showers over the upcountry slopes this afternoon…some of which may become quite generous. The forecast has a cold front continuing to approach the islands today into the night. This front will have decent upper level dynamics, with a good chance for heavy showers falling locally. It’s expected to arrive over Kauai early Tuesday morning, Oahu and Maui County during the day, before stalling over the Big Island Tuesday night into Wednesday. The gusty winds following in the wake of the front will carry frequent windward showers our way, which will stretch over into the leeward sides on the smaller islands at times. These trades, and their associated showers should remain active through Friday, before the winds ease up from the east to southeast…ahead of another cold front. These lighter winds will cause afternoon clouds with localized upcountry showers into the weekend.
Marine environment details: Winds will continue to weaken and shift to the south, as high pressure tracks east, and a cold front approaches from the west into Tuesday. The front will move across the smaller islands through the day Tuesday then stall near the Big Island on Wednesday and weaken. Strong northerly winds will fill in behind the front beginning Tuesday afternoon, which should persist into Thursday as high pressure passes north of the area.
The latest wave model guidance remains in good agreement through this period and depicts seas reaching 10 ft across most exposed waters by Wednesday and Wednesday night. As a result, small craft advisory conditions due to a combination of winds and seas are expected for all waters by Wednesday, which may persist into Thursday. Winds and seas will steadily trend down Thursday night through the weekend as a weak surface trough develops over the islands and a weak front approaches the region from the northwest.
Although the surf is expected to remain below advisory levels through the remainder of the week, rough conditions due to a combination of strong onshore winds and rising surf are expected along the exposed north and east facing shores through the mid-week period as the previously discussed frontal boundary moves through. A moderate northwest swell is anticipated over the weekend, which will likely persist through Monday before trending down. This swell should remain just below advisory levels as it peaks through the day Sunday and Sunday night.
Light winds with a few exceptions…small surf
World-wide tropical cyclone activity:
>>> Atlantic Ocean: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2016. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued if conditions warrant. Here’s the 2015 hurricane season summary
Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean
>>> Caribbean Sea: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2016. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued if conditions warrant.
>>> Gulf of Mexico: The last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on June 1, 2016. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued if conditions warrant.
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 last regularly scheduled Tropical Weather Outlook of the 2015 North Pacific hurricane season…has occurred. Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will resume on May 15, 2016. During the off-season, Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued if conditions warrant. Here’s the 2015 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.
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, 2016. During the off-season, special tropical weather outlooks will be issued if conditions warrant. Here’s the 2015 hurricane season summary
Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)
>>> South Pacific Ocean: No active tropical cyclones
>>> North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: No active tropical cyclones
Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)
Interesting: Scotland shuts down its last coal-fired electric power plant – After nearly 50 years of service, Scotland’s last coal-fired power plant — Longannet Power Station — has finally gone offline, putting an end to over 100 years of burning coal for electricity.
It’s an important moment for Scottish Power, which looks ahead to clean power initiatives with the goal of going all-renewable by 2020,
But it’s also a very symbolic action for the world. Hopefully other nations will follow suit, creating a domino effect as country by country eliminates its coal plants — like the one above — in favor of renewable alternatives.
Brought online in 1969, Longannet was only designed to be used for 25 years. The plant had four generating units producing 2,400 megawatts at maximum capacity — enough to power 25 percent of Scottish homes.
When Longannet was initially constructed, it was the largest coal-fired plant in Europe. It remained a critical element of Scotland’s energy plan — one reason why it took so long to decommission. Scottish Power had to move carefully to ensure that they didn’t jeopardize the power supply during the transition.
Over its lifetime, the plant generated 400 terrawatt hours worth of electricity, used four million tons of coal annually and ran for 918,315 hours in total. The shutoff of the final generating unit marked the end of an era.
It was a very timely end. Longannet’s size has since been supplanted. At the time of its closure, it was the third-largest coal plant in Europe.
But it was also one of the United Kingdom’s biggest polluters. Changing policies on carbon pollution made the plant extremely expensive to operate, between routine maintenance, retrofits and carbon fines – and forced Scottish Power to take it offline.
The ultimate unsustainability of the plant serves as an excellent illustration of why aggressive carbon emission regulation works — it forced Scotland’s hand much sooner than a call for renewable energy could have ever done. Sometimes, it’s necessary to appeal to base economic realities rather than principles.
Some engineers caution that the closure could be a costly experiment. They argue that because the plant generated such a huge segment of the country’s power supply, taking it offline could create instability on the electrical grid.
Scottish Power has clearly planned ahead and feels otherwise. If the company can successfully balance the electrical needs of the country, it could provide a blueprint for other nations considering the elimination of coal power.
Taking the clean energy plunge might feel intimidating until nations see someone else take the lead. And that makes Scotland’s highly progressive move very important.
Over 200 people worked at the power plant, and up to 1,000 jobs related to Longannet may also be at risk with the closure.
Scottish Power explains that it has been working closely with employees to offer them placements elsewhere in the country, provide them with retirement options or facilitate transitions to other careers. A skeleton crew will also be remaining behind at the plant during the decommissioning phase.
Meanwhile, Scottish Power has major wave and solar projects in the works, and they’ll require workers familiar with the electricity generation industry and its auxiliary needs.
Today, Scotland, tomorrow, the world?
Email Glenn James: 
