Air Temperatures – The following high temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Sunday…along with the low temperatures Sunday:
77 – 62 Lihue, Kauai
77 – 62 Honolulu, Oahu
80 – 65 Kahului AP, Maui
81 – 65 Kona Int’l AP
78 – 64 Hilo AP, Hawaii
Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (in inches) for each of the islands as of Sunday evening:
0.07 Kilohana, Kauai
0.12 Tunnel RG, Oahu
0.40 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.36 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.68 Kawainui Stream, Big Island
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Sunday evening:
20 Port Allen, Kauai
21 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
23 Molokai
18 Lanai
30 Kahoolawe
21 Maalaea Bay, Maui
27 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
A low pressure system remains active well northeast of the islands, while a high pressure system is located to our north…which will bring east to southeasterly winds
The next cold front is approaching to the northwest
Clear to partly cloudy most areas
Just a few showers – Looping radar image
~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~
The winds are turning more easterly and southeasterly. Here’s the latest weather map, showing a low pressure center far to the northeast of Hawaii. At the same time we find a high pressure system just to the north, with associated high pressure ridges offshore to the northwest and northeast the islands. As we get into the first part of the new week, our winds will soften from the southeast ahead of the next weak cold front’s approach into Tuesday. Then, a bit later in the week, the next somewhat stronger cold front will get closer to the state. As these fronts approach, we’ll find warmer south to southeasterly winds, bringing volcanic haze (vog) from the Big Island vents…up along the smaller islands through much of the week.
Mainly dry weather will prevail…with just a few showers through the first half of the week. The recent chilly north winds have given way to an east and southeasterly flow now. The next cold front approaching the Hawaiian Islands will stall northwest of Kauai, without reaching the state in the Monday-Tuesday time frame. Thus, we won’t see any showers being brought into the state from this frontal boundary. The one exception will be the chance of some afternoon upcountry showers here and there. Looking further ahead, yet another stronger cold front will approach in the Wednesday-Thursday period, although should also stall before arriving. However, it may get close enough to bring an increase in showers to Kauai and Oahu later in the week.
Marine environment details: North-northeast swells from a gale low pressure system far northeast of the islands, will continue for the next few days. Surf from these swells will remain well below the high surf advisory threshold along north and west facing shores, although will remain near the advisory threshold along east facing shores through this evening.
Low pressure systems in the northwest Pacific may become deeper by the middle of the new week. A large northwest swell may boost surf along north and west facing shores near the High Surf Advisory (HSA) threshold on Wednesday. An even bigger northwest swell may produce warning level surf Friday and Saturday.
A surface ridge of high pressure shifting southeast over the area, will keep winds below the Small Craft Advisory (SCA) threshold through the next week. Seas will remain below the SCA threshold through the early part of the new week. Another large northwest swell may boost seas well above the (HSA) starting Friday.
Friday Evening Film: The film I went to see last evening is one that I’d been resisting, despite the fact that the leading actors are two of my favorites. It was something about it being a musical…that didn’t seem appealing to me. It’s called La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Finn Wittrock…among many others. The synopsis: Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Damien Chazelle, this film tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Ryan Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.
First of all let me say that the critics have been very generous with this film, and after seeing it…I understand why. One of the things that I appreciated, was the melancholic feeling it gave me along the way. It was refreshingly different, vibrant and very energetic in parts, not to mention colorful. As one critic said, “La La Land’s song-and-dance never feels routine, knowing when to soar and when to come, tapping, down to earth.” To tell you the truth, I didn’t think I was going to like sitting through a musical, although I surely did…very much in fact. Perhaps not a classic masterpiece, although it definitely bordered on it from beginning to end. As for a grade, it felt like a very strong B+ piece of work to me. Here’s a trailer if you’d care to take a look at this comedy drama, musical and performing arts film.
Very few showers
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)
Tropical Cyclone 01W is dissipating as it moves through the central Philippines. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, a satellite image – Final Warning
>>> 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: Rocky mountain haze – Many people head to the mountains in the summer to get above the haze of the cities and valleys. A new study finds that the haze could be catching up.
University of Utah atmospheric scientist Gannet Hallar and colleagues find a correlation between the severity of drought in the Intermountain West and the summertime air quality, particularly the concentration of aerosol particles, in remote mountain wilderness regions. The link between drought and haze is likely wildfire, the researchers write in Environmental Research Letters. Climate projections suggest that drought and wildfire risk will continue to increase in coming decades.
“If you take that into the future, we’re going to see significant hazing of the West,” Hallar says.
Haze in the air is caused by small airborne particles—typically dust, soot, ash or smoke. Aerosols are particles so small that they are suspended in air and don’t settle out. Fog and steam can also be considered aerosols.
Their role in modifying the climate is significant, depending on the composition of the particles. Dust particles made of mineral grains can reflect solar energy, providing a cooling effect. Aerosol particles made of organic carbon, such as soot or smoke, can absorb energy, however, warming the climate. Further, aerosol particles can trigger cloud formation, which exerts its own influence over global temperature and climate. Aerosols are an important component of the atmospheric energy balance.
Hallar conducts research at Storm Peak Laboratory, a research lab near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at an elevation of 10,525 feet above sea level. The lab, a part of the Desert Research Institute, measures aerosol optical depth, the amount of aerosols between the sensor and the sun. Researchers noticed that decades of aerosol optical depth records consistently showed increased in the summer. A previous global study of aerosols had showed that, in general, aerosol concentrations were decreasing across the United States except for a summertime peak at a site in the western U.S.
The team, consisting of hydrologists and atmospheric scientists, looked at climate and drought records for the West to see if they could find a connection to the summer mountain haze. They found a correlation between drought and high-elevation aerosols, with a very likely explanation. “It’s the fires,” Hallar says. Further analysis of summer wildfire area burnt in the West showed a good correlation with aerosol optical depth in the northern, central and southern Rockies.
“It’s a strong evidence that the drought is probably allowing for more wildfires and the fires are most likely allowing for more aerosols,” Hallar says.
Hallar says that her team’s observations allow for comparison with climate models’ simulated effects of fires on aerosol emissions. The models use assumptions to estimate how much aerosol pollution results from an area of forest burned, which can lead to uncertainties in the conclusions. “We’re putting a moment of real data in there,” Hallar says, and notes that their observational data isn’t far off from what the models predict. “That has me concerned because climate models are predicting in the future a significant increase in organic aerosol loading.”
Even more concerning is that Hallar’s data came from wilderness areas—those preserved for their untouched natural beauty. A wilderness area’s borders, however, can’t keep the haze out.
Hallar hopes that her results highlight the importance of managing the relationship between drought, fire and haze in the West. “We need to think about fires in the realm of air quality,” she says.
Email Glenn James: 
