Air Temperatures – The following high temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Thursday…along with the low temperatures Thursday:
80 – 70 Lihue, Kauai
81 – 74 Honolulu, Oahu
76 – 68 Molokai
87 – 73 Kahului AP, Maui
83 – 72 Kona Int’l AP
84 – 64 Hilo AP, Hawaii
Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Thursday evening:
1.08 Hanalei, Kauai
0.98 Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
1.72 Molokai
0.03 Lanai
0.03 Kahoolawe
0.63 Kepuni, Maui
0.17 Saddle Quarry, Big Island
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Thursday evening:
17 Poipu, Kauai
25 Kuaokala, Oahu
10 Molokai
14 Lanai
21 Kahoolawe
13 Maalaea Bay, Maui
17 Kaupulehu, 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
Low pressure systems far north and northwest of Hawaii
A late season cold front has moved into the state…with an upper level low west
Showers will fall locally from Kauai down through Maui County
Showers locally…especially along the frontal cloud band
Looping radar image
High Surf Advisory…along the west shore of Oahu
High Surf Warning…north and west shores of Kauai, Molokai, and north shores of Oahu and Maui
Small Craft Advisory…for large northwest swell Kauai through Maui
~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~
Broad brush overview: Moisture associated with a cold front have spread to portions of Maui County…before stalling. Meanwhile a surface ridge near the Big Island will keep a dry and stable weather pattern in place there through at least tonight. High pressure building north of the islands will bring strengthening trade winds Friday, with light to moderate trade winds persisting into next week. Moisture associated with the dissipating front will linger near the smaller islands over the next few days, and a wet trade wind flow is expected…with clouds and showers favoring windward slopes and coasts. Drier trade wind weather is expected early next week.
Details: A ragged band of clouds and showers marks a weak frontal boundary over the central islands. The cold front extends across the state from an expansive area of low pressure, which currently dominates the the north central Pacific. Meanwhile, a ridge of high pressure extends near the Big Island, from a high pressure system centered far northeast…keeping that island relatively dry in contrast. A few clouds and showers are moving over leeward portions of Maui County in the southwest kona flow between the cold front and the ridge of high pressure.
Slightly cooler north winds behind the front…will spread across the smaller islands into the night. Winds will become more northeast late, then classic trades Friday. This will occur as the front dissipates, and a surface high pressure system moves by well north of the islands. Models indicate much of the moisture associated with the front will linger in the island vicinity, especially from Kauai to parts of Maui County for the next few days. Thus, wet trade wind weather is expected for the islands…mostly along the windward sides.
Looking ahead: We can look for trade winds to focus clouds and showers over windward areas through the weekend. However, there is some uncertainty as to where the remnant frontal moisture will be located. In addition, the introduction of some modest instability, as a low pressure system aloft develops to our west…we can anticipate a wet trade wind weather pattern. A drier trade wind weather pattern is expected early next week, with moderate trades prevailing.
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 large, late season northwest swell will continue to fill in, peak tonight, then lower gradually Friday and Saturday. Surf heights will reach high end advisory levels during the peak of the swell. If the swell ends up being larger than expected, then low end warning level surf is possible for a brief time during its peak. A small north swell is also expected over the weekend, with a series of small northwest swells for the first half of next week.
A south swell will gradually fill in tonight, then lingering into Friday. Guidance continues to indicate that there will be a series of small south swells through the weekend, on into the middle of next week. Strengthening trade winds over the weekend, and on into early next week will cause an increase in choppy surf along east facing shores.
A late season cold front is bringing showers locally
Southern California weather summary: Offshore flow establishing beneath high pressure aloft, will bring well above normal temperatures Friday and Saturday. A low pressure system will move in early next week for a cooling trend, along with increasing coastal and local valley clouds. High pressure should arrive by mid-week for a slight warmup and fair skies.
Fair weather prevails
Mostly clear to partly cloudy
World-wide tropical cyclone activity
>>> Atlantic Ocean: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st
Out of season Tropical Storm 01L (Arlene) remains active, here’s the satellite image…and what the various computer models are showing
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)
>>> Northwest 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: Making Batteries From Waste Glass Bottles – Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering have used waste glass bottles and a low-cost chemical process to create nanosilicon anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. The batteries will extend the range of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and provide more power with fewer charges to personal electronics like cell phones and laptops.
Titled “Silicon Derived from Glass Bottles as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Full Cell Batteries,” an article describing the research was published today in the Nature journal Scientific Reports. Cengiz Ozkan, professor of mechanical engineering, and Mihri Ozkan, professor of electrical engineering, led the project.
Even with today’s recycling programs, billions of glass bottles end up in landfills every year, prompting the researchers to ask whether silicon dioxide in waste beverage bottles could provide high purity silicon nanoparticles for lithium-ion batteries.
Silicon anodes can store up to 10 times more energy than conventional graphite anodes, but expansion and shrinkage during charge and discharge make them unstable. Downsizing silicon to the nanoscale has been shown to reduce this problem, and by combining an abundant and relatively pure form of silicon dioxide and a low-cost chemical reaction, the researchers created lithium-ion half-cell batteries that store almost four times more energy than conventional graphite anodes.
To create the anodes, the team used a three-step process that involved crushing and grinding the glass bottles into a fine white power, a magnesiothermic reduction to transform the silicon dioxide into nanostructured silicon, and coating the silicon nanoparticles with carbon to improve their stability and energy storage properties.
As expected, coin cell batteries made using the glass bottle-based silicon anodes greatly outperformed traditional batteries in laboratory tests. Carbon-coated glass derived-silicon (gSi@C) electrodes demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance with a capacity of ~1420 mAh/g at C/2 rate after 400 cycles.
Changling Li, a graduate student in materials science and engineering and lead author on the paper, said one glass bottle provides enough nanosilicon for hundreds of coin cell batteries or three-five pouch cell batteries.
“We started with a waste product that was headed for the landfill and created batteries that stored more energy, charged faster, and were more stable than commercial coin cell batteries. Hence, we have very promising candidates for next-generation lithium-ion batteries,” Li said.
This research is the latest in a series of projects led by Mihri and Cengiz Ozkan to create lithium-ion battery anodes from environmentally friendly materials. Previous research has focused on developing and testing anodes from portabella mushrooms, sand, and diatomaceous (fossil-rich) earth.
mike Says:
Glenn,
Now that the immense amount of comments concerning your mom has subsided on your website, I take this time to say that your mom’s health is on my mind. I lost my mother and father almost 30 years ago and I still hold their memories close. Please know that you and your mom are in my thoughts.
~~~ Hi Mike, thanks so much for writing in, my Mom and I greatly appreciate your kind and generous words! It’s so true, our parents are greatly important to each of us, and we hold them dearly for our whole lives…even after their passing.
We feel your heartfelt words deeply!
Aloha, Glenn