Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / September 29-30, 2017

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

88 – 75  Lihue, Kauai
89 – 75  Honolulu, Oahu 
87 – 74  Molokai
92 – 68  Kahului AP, Maui – record high temperature Friday was 94…set back in 1951
87 – 74  Kailua Kona
82 – 70  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

2.14  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
1.07  Poamoho RG, Oahu
0.12  Molokai
0.01  Lanai
0.03  Kahoolawe
0.25  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.51  Pahoa, Big Island

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

25  Port Allen, Kauai
22  Kii, Oahu
27  Molokai
23  Lanai
32  Kahoolawe
32  Kahului AP, Maui
29  South Point, 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 cold front well northwest…approaching the state

Thunderstorms southwest

Clear to partly cloudy…with cloudy areas

Showers locally – Looping radar image

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Broad Brush Overview:  The trade winds will become locally lighter, with clouds and showers mostly over the windward sides. Winds will weaken further and veer to the southeast Saturday, then south over most of the islands Sunday. Humid and voggy weather, with daytime sea breezes will develop, while clouds and showers favor interior areas during the afternoon and evening hours. An approaching cold front may stall near or over Kauai or Oahu Monday and Tuesday, with trade winds returning by the middle of next week…which could become rather strong thereafter.

Looking Ahead: Humid and hazy conditions will likely continue into Monday and Tuesday, as the front nears Kauai. There’s still disagreement between the models regarding how close this front will get before stalling. The GFS has the front reaching Kauai late Monday into Tuesday, while the ECMWF has the front stalling just west of Kauai. As for the rest of the islands, humid and hazy southerly winds will persist. In fact, there may be enough instability associated with the front for thunderstorm development…mainly near Kauai.

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 small craft advisory remains active for the Alenuihaha and Pailolo channels, Maalaea Bay and the waters south of the Big Island. Winds are forecast to weaken over the weekend and veer to the south and southeast, as a cold front approaches from the northwest. This pattern will likely result in land and sea breeze conditions.

Surf remain generally small along the north and west shores, lowering Saturday and then possibly rising again Sunday through early next week.

Surf along south facing shores will remain small through the weekend, with mainly southeast swell energy expected. A slight increase in surf will be possible next week Wednesday through Friday. We may see a slight enhancement out of the southeast by Friday of next week.

Surf along east facing shores will build slightly, as the trades fill in locally and upstream of the state. This however will be short-lived, as the winds are forecast to the south and become light during the weekend…as the cold front approaches.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Storm 15L (Maria) remains active, here’s a NHC graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing

Post-Tropical Storm 14L (Lee) is dissipating, here’s a NHC graphical track map, a satellite image – Last Public Advisory

>>> Caribbean Sea: No active tropical cyclones

1.) A tropical wave interacting with an upper-level low is producing a large but disorganized area of cloudiness and showers extending from the eastern Caribbean Sea northeastward across the Lesser Antilles to the nearby Atlantic waters. Environmental conditions have become unfavorable for development and tropical cyclone formation is not anticipated. This system is forecast to move west-northwestward to westward at 10 to 15 mph during the next few days bringing locally heavy rainfall over portions of the northern Leeward Islands and the Greater Antilles during the next several days. A Flash Flood Watch in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands through late Sunday night.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…near 0 percent

>>> Gulf of Mexico: No active tropical cyclones

1.) A weak low pressure area over the southern Florida Peninsula is interacting with an upper-level low to produce a large but disorganized area of cloudiness and showers extending from the northwestern Caribbean Sea northward through the Florida peninsula. Environmental conditions appear to be marginally conducive for some additional development before the upper-level winds become unfavorable early next week. Regardless of development, this system is likely to produce locally heavy rainfall over portions of western Cuba, the Florida Keys, and the Florida peninsula during the next several days while the system moves northwestward to northward.

This disturbance is being referred to as Invest 99L, here’s a satellite image…along with what the computer models are showing

Here’s a looping satellite image of this area

Here’s the animated radar image for the area

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

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: No active tropical cyclones

An area of low pressure is forecast to develop a few hundred miles south of the southern coasts of Mexico and Guatemala, near the Gulf of Tehuantepec, by the middle of next week. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for gradual development while the system moves west-northwestward or northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…30 percent

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: No active tropical cyclones

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: No active tropical cyclones