Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / May 12-13, 2017

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

84 – 72  Lihue, Kauai
87 – 73  Honolulu, Oahu
83 – 68  Molokai
86 – 66  Kahului AP, Maui
83 – 71  Kona Int’l AP
82 – 68  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

7.46  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.46  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.01  Molokai
0.01  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
2.12  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.92  Saddle Quarry, Big Island

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

25  Port Allen, Kauai
32  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
31  Molokai
32  Lanai
38  Kahoolawe
32  Kahului AP, Maui 
32  Waikoloa, 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

An upper level low pressure system northwest

Thunderstorms west and northwest of Kauai

Clear to partly cloudy…especially rainy clouds near Kauai

Showers mostly offshore…some locally heavy
Looping radar image

Small Craft Advisory…windiest coasts and channels around Maui County, including the Kaiwi Channel, and the Big Island

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Broad Brush Overview: Moderate to locally strong and gusty trade winds will persist through at least early next week, as strong high pressure system remains far northeast of the state. Clouds and showers will favor windward areas, although will occasionally spread leeward. Wetter conditions are expected for the second half of the weekend into early next week…as an upper trough enhances bands of moisture moving along in the trade flow.

Details: The trade wind flow will bring periods of enhanced showers during the weekend. The surface high will hold firm, as the area of low pressure to the west of Kauai fills. This will cause the trade winds to impact more of the island chain to stronger trades. The upper level trough will linger near and west of Kauai, maintaining somewhat unstable conditions over the western end of the state. Bands of low level moisture will move through, one on Saturday and another Sunday. These features will focus rainfall along windward slopes, with some showers spilling leeward on the trades…with drier conditions between the bands.

Looking Further Ahead: Shower coverage and intensity may pick up late Sunday through Tuesday over portions of the state. The models are showing the upper trough digging over and northeast of the islands, though they differ on the strength of this weather feature. For now, a rather wet trade wind rainfall pattern remains likely, with higher rainfall chances near the Big Island and Maui.

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: The latest surface analysis showed weak low pressure west of the area, and a strong high pressure center north-northeast of the state. The trades will become stronger across local waters into next week. A small craft advisory for the channels east of Molokai, Maalaea Bay, the windward Maui County waters, and the waters south of the Big Island has been extended through Sunday.

Surf along the north facing shores will remain small into next week, with no significant swells expected. Mainly trade wind swell wrap at select spots will be the only real source supporting surf through the weekend. For the extended, a small northwest swell will arrive through the second half of next week.

Surf along east facing shores will steadily rise through the weekend, as stronger trade winds become established. These strong onshore winds will translate to rough surf along east facing shores each day. Surf will near the advisory level over the weekend into next week for the windward sides.

A small reinforcing south swell is expected to today from recent southern Pacific activity. This will support moderate south shore surf into the weekend. For the long range, a more active pattern is forecast to setup across the southern Pacific, east and southeast of New Zealand …which will likely correspond to a rise in surf along south facing shores through the second half of the month, beginning a week from today.

Well established trade wind weather pattern

San Francisco Bay Weather Brief: Cooler than normal temperatures, along with breezy onshore winds can be expected through early next week. While most areas will remain dry through the weekend, there is a slight chance of rain late Monday into Tuesday…as a low pressure system approaches from the north. A warming trend is then expected as a result of building high pressure by mid-week.

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Mostly clear…cloud patches approaching to the northwest


World-wide tropical cyclone activity

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

>>> 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