Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / October 13-14, 2017

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

86 – 76  Lihue, Kauai
87 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu
90 – 73  Molokai
94 – 73  Kahului AP, Maui – tied record high temperature of 94 Friday
89 – 79  Kailua Kona
85 – 71  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

2.21  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
3.46  Waihee Pump, Oahu
0.28  Molokai
0.01  Lanai
0.01  Kahoolawe
1.68  Hana AP, Maui
4.14  Papaikou Well, Big Island

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

25  Port Allen, Kauai
25  Kii, Oahu
23  Molokai
15   Lanai
40  Kahoolawe
21  Maalaea Bay, Maui
37  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 trough of low pressure in the vicinity of the islands

Thunderstorms over the surrounding waters

Partly to mostly cloudy…localized clear areas

Showers locally…some are heavy – Looping radar image

Small Craft Advisory…windiest coasts and channels statewide

High Surf Advisory…east shores

Gale Watch…Alenuihaha Channel / Sunday morning through Wednesday night

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Broad Brush Overview: The trade winds will slowly strengthen through tonight, as a trough of low pressure exits westward from the island chain. An unstable airmass will persist over the state through tonight, with locally heavy rainfall and thunderstorms possible across parts of the island chain. More settled weather will return Saturday into next week, with trades becoming stronger Saturday…and then locally windy Sunday through much of next week.

Details: This unusual weather has been generated by an upper level trough, while areas of moisture pass through the islands from the east. The presence of this trough is keeping the winds generally light across the islands. Although, as this feature slowly tracks west, look for a slow and steady strengthening of the trade winds through the weekend. The threat of thunderstorms and heavy rain continues across the area through tonight…especially for the windward areas.

Looking Ahead:  The trades will become stronger Saturday, then strengthening further Sunday through much of next week. Wet trade wind weather is expected to return by Sunday into the early part of next week, as more moisture should push over the islands. The models suggest possible drier air reaching the Hawaiian Islands as early as Tuesday…which should continue for several days

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 surface trough over the local waters is forecast to continue westward and weaken today. Trade winds will continue to fill in through this time, then strengthen through the weekend. Strong winds and rough seas will continue through early next week.

Surf along east facing shores will continue to rise this weekend and become rough, due to strong trades expected locally and upstream of the islands.This upward trend will continue, especially as the aforementioned surface trough located over the islands shifts west of the waters and strong trades fill in locally. Surf will likely reach advisory levels by Sunday, then continue through Wednesday.

Surf along north facing shores will remain small into Saturday with mainly trade wind swell. An upward trend is anticipated over the weekend, as a northwest swell arrives Sunday, then slowly lowers early next week. Rising surf will result along exposed north and west facing shores with a peak through the day Sunday. Heights will remain well below advisory levels through the peak of this event.

Small south and south-southwest swells from the south Pacific will keep the surf from going flat along south facing shores. An upward trend is anticipated over the weekend into early next week, with forerunners arriving through the day Saturday, peaking sometime late Sunday into Monday…then trending down into mid-week. Advisory level surf will be likely around its peak Sunday through Monday.

The activity continues over the southern Pacific within Hawaii’s swell window going forward. Models show another small to moderate south-southwest swell will become a good possibility for next weekend (10/21-10/23).

To the north, another gale is forecast to develop over the far northwest Pacific late in the weekend. A small to moderate northwest swell is projected to arrive Thursday night and hold into next weekend. Surf associated with this source will likely remain below advisory levels along north and west facing shores as the swell peaks.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

>>> Here’s the latest PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering Hurricane Ophelia

>>> Here’s the latest PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering Tropical Storm Khanun near the Philippine Islands, and two tropical disturbances…one south-southwest of Guam, and another south of the southern tip of Baja California

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Hurricane 17L (Ophelia) remains active, here’s a graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing

1.) A broad area of low pressure located about 200 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms, mainly to the east of the surface low. Upper-level winds are expected to remain unfavorable for development during the next couple of days while the system moves west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph and passes near or north of the Leeward Islands and the Virgin Islands. However, environmental conditions could become a little more conducive for some development early next week when the system begins to move northward and then recurve over the west-central Atlantic Ocean.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…30 percent

>>> Caribbean Sea: No active tropical cyclones

>>> Gulf of Mexico: No active tropical cyclones

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

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: 

Tropical Cyclone 24W (Khanun) remains active, here’s a graphical track map, a satellite image