Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / December 30-31, 2016

Air Temperatures – The following high temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Friday…along with the low temperatures Friday:

77 – 68  Lihue, Kauai
75 – 68  Honolulu, Oahu
78 – 67  Kahului AP, Maui
79 – 70  Kailua Kona AP
76 – 64  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

2.87  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
2.97  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
5.87  Molokai
0.26  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
3.11  Hana, Maui
0.16  Kawainui Stream, Big Island

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

18  Port Allen, Kauai
29  Kuaokala, Oahu
23  Molokai
25  Lanai
22  Kahoolawe
24  Kapalua, Maui
21  Kealakomo, Big Island

Here’s a wind profile of the Pacific Ocean – Closer view of the islands

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (nearly 13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. This webcam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands, and at night whenever there’s a big moon shining down. Also, at night you will be able to see the stars — and the sunrise and sunset too — depending upon weather conditions.

Aloha Paragraphs

There’s a counter-clockwise rotating low pressure system well north-northeast of the islands, which has an associated cold front slowly pushing through the Hawaiian Islands

Multi-layered clouds over and around the islands

Low clouds bringing windward showers to the islands locally…and that cold front over Maui County

Showers falling along the cold front…over Maui County for the most part  – Looping radar image

Small Craft Advisory…windiest coasts and channels around the state

High Surf Advisory…east and north shores of Maui / north shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island

Flood Advisory…windward slopes of Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

The trade winds continue to blow over us…although will weaken some during the weekend into the early part of the new week ahead. Here’s the latest weather map, showing a strong high pressure system far north of Hawaii. At the same time we see a storm low pressure center well to the north-northeast, with its trailing cold front stretching across our islands. The tail end of this frontal cloud band will stall over Maui County for a time, and then probably inch its way over the Big Island Saturday night into Sunday. The current gusty trade winds will give way to lighter trade wind breezes during the holiday weekend into early next year. As we get into the middle of next week, our winds may become very light…as the next weak cold front approaches.

Showers will fall locally, in association with moisture brought our way by an early winter cold front. Showers will focus their efforts along our windward coasts and slopes into Saturday…although some of them will extend into the leeward sections on the smaller islands. An upper level trough of low pressure moving over the state into Saturday morning, will prompt increased shower intensities here and there. As we push into New Year’s Day Sunday, showers will decrease as the cold front weakens and dissipates somewhere between Maui and the Big Island. In sum, cloudier than normal weather conditions will stick around, with those off and on showers. We may see another weak cold front approach the state later next week.

Marine environment details: North and east shore surf will diminish through the night. With lower heights observed near Kauai and Oahu, the east shore high surf warning has been discontinued, along with the north shore advisory.

The cold front continues to weaken as it moves southward. High resolution model guidance shows winds dropping off as well, but remaining above small craft levels for many areas tonight. In addition, the combination of wind waves and the north-northeast swell will keep seas higher than normal for some zones into Saturday.

Friday Evening Film: There are several good films playing here on Maui now. The one I picked to see is a drama called Manchester By The Sea, starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Gretchen Mol…among many others. The synopsis:  After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick. Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited 16-year-old, and is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to a world without him. /

This film was very good, although rather tragic and painful throughout…laced with elements of humor at times too. It was a deeply emotional piece of work, led by Affleck’s great performance, who carried the film on his shoulders adeptly. As one critic said, the sadness of “Manchester by the Sea” is the kind of sadness that makes you feel more alive, rather than less, to the preciousness of things.” It was full of love, although achingly complex at times…showing through at just the right spots. As for a grade, I felt it rated a B+, a strong B+ grade in fact. Here’s the trailer so you can take a quick peek if you’d like.

A trade wind weather pattern holds firm…although winds will become lighter

World-wide tropical cyclone activity…with storms showing up when active

>>> Atlantic Ocean: The 2016 hurricane season has ended

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean: The 2016 hurricane season has ended

>>> Gulf of Mexico: The 2016 hurricane season has ended

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 2016 hurricane season has ended

Here’s the NOAA 2016 Hurricane Season Summary for the Eastern Pacific Basin

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 2016 hurricane season has ended

Here’s the NOAA 2016 Hurricane Season Summary for the Central Pacific Basin

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