Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / February 22-23, 2017

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

78 – 67   Lihue, Kauai
81 – 70  Honolulu, Oahu
79 – 70  Molokai
81 – 69  Kahului AP, Maui
81 – 67  Kona Int’l AP
78 – 67  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

1.24  Kilohana, Kauai
0.05  Luluku, Oahu
0.02  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.45  Puu Kukui, Maui
3.03  Saddle Quarry, Big Island

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

36  Port Allen, Kauai
37  Kuaokala, Oahu
33  Molokai
37  Lanai
42  Kahoolawe
36  Maalaea Bay, Maui
35  Kealakomo, Big Island

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 counter-clockwise rotating low pressure system, with its cold front…is located far north of the state

We see an old cold front south, the tail-end of another front well north…and a new front northwest

Many clear areas over the islands, some windward cloudiness…lots of high clouds southeast

Showers locally…some are generous – Looping radar image

Small Craft Advisory…Maalaea Bay, Pailolo, Alenuihaha Channels, and Big Island southeast waters

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

The smaller islands have been dominated by strong trade winds…although most areas remained below wind advisory criteria for sustained winds and gusts. The strong winds are being driven by strong high pressure cells, centered northeast and northwest of islands. The trade winds are expected to gradually weaken through Friday night, and maintain moderate breezes into the weekend. Passing showers moving along with the trades will focus over windward areas, although showers will reach over to the leeward sections of the smaller islands locally. Moisture associated with an old cold front is expected to be carried in with the trades Friday…although with limited rainfall expected.

Water vapor imagery shows an upper level trough of low pressure…with an axis passing over the Big Island. The instability provided by this upper trough, along with the moisture pushed upslope by sea breezes along the Kona coast…produced active showers and thunderstorms over the interior of the Big Island. Frequent lightning strikes were observed within these thunderstorms during afternoon hours. The expectation is that these thunderstorms will weaken and dissipate this evening into the night, as offshore flowing land breezes set in…and the upper trough of low pressure migrates eastward.

Another upper trough of low pressure will begin to move towards the state Sunday…and may bring another round of active weather Tuesday night or next Wednesday. However, there’s still significant uncertainty due to model differences. A surface low developing far north-northwest of the area will likely lead to a reduction in the trade winds.  Although it should be pointed out, that some of the models develop another low to the east of the islands…which leads to very light winds.  Despite these model differences, the current forecast keeps a light to moderate east-southeast air flow in place. Obviously there is low forecast confidence at this point in time, stay tuned.

Here’s a wind profile of the Pacific Ocean – Closer view of the islands / Here’s the vog forecast animation / Here’s the latest weather map

Marine environment details: A satellite pass showed Small Craft Advisory (SCA) winds over most coastal waters. Gale conditions have dropped out of the Alenuihaha and Pailolo Channels…thus, the Gale Warning has been cancelled.

Breezy weather continues

World-wide tropical cyclone activity

>>> Atlantic Ocean: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

>>> Gulf of Mexico: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

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 2017 hurricane season begins May 15th

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 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

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

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