Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / January 2-3, 2018

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

78 – 66  Lihue, Kauai
83 – 69  Honolulu, Oahu
79 – 62  Molokai
80 – 57  Kahului AP, Maui
81 – 65  Kailua Kona
80 – 60  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

0.21  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.14  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.00  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.02  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.01  South Point, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Tuesday evening:

24  Port Allen, Kauai
29  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
23  Molokai
25  Lanai
30  Kahoolawe
24  Kapalua, Maui
29  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. Here’s the webcam for the Haleakala Crater on Maui. These webcams are 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

Upper level low spinning to the northeast…cold front north

High cirrus northwest through northeast

Clear to partly cloudy…some cloudy areas

Just a few showers – Looping image

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Small Craft Advisory…Kauai northwest waters, windward waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels, Big Island leeward and southeast waters 

High Surf Advisory…Niihau, Kauai windward and leeward waters

Broad Brush Overview: The models maintain a relatively benign weather pattern for the islands over the next week, as high pressure tends to hold over the state. Moderate trade flow offers little in the way of showers, with below normal moisture and limited windward rainfall potential…with the best chance to squeeze out moisture possibly occurring over the weekend.

Details: A weakening cold front will continue to move by to our north. At the same time, we’ll find gentle to locally breezy trades continuing over the islands. Meanwhile, satellite imagery revealed stable low clouds approaching from the east. Although, the mostly dry trade wind weather will persist, with low clouds arriving at times…although with limited showers.

The front to the north will slowly dissipate Wednesday, while a high moves into the area north of the islands and strengthens. This will result in a modest strengthening of the trades during the second half of the week. Models suggest that some moisture from the dissipated front may reach the islands Thursday and Friday, although not much precipitation is expected.

Looking Further Ahead: The models go on to suggest that another front is expected to pass by far north of the islands during the weekend. The pressure gradient across the islands may stay tight enough for the locally breezy trade winds to continue. A modest increase in moisture for the state is also expected…with a slight increase in clouds and showers then.

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: Surf produced by an approaching NW swell is forecast to gradually increase along most north and west facing shores of the smaller islands. Once it arrives, this swell will likely maintain elevated surf through early Wednesday morning.

In addition to the large northwest swell, combined with waves generated by the trade winds, will produce rough seas over the extreme western end of the island chain. These elevated rough seas will likely persist through early Wednesday morning.

The northwest swell will gradually subside Wednesday through early Friday. A new west-northwest swell is forecast to arrive late Friday, and build through Friday night. Surf produced by this swell may approach the High Surf Advisory criteria along some north and west facing shorelines of the smaller islands, especially Kauai, starting Saturday morning. This large swell will likely persist through early Sunday before gradually subsiding Sunday night and Monday.

Elsewhere, the moderate trade winds will maintain choppy surf along east facing shores through the weekend. Also, expect very small surf along south facing shores through Friday. Some south facing shores exposed to wrap from the west-northwest swell arriving late Friday…may have a slight rise in surf during the weekend.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

>>> Here’s the latest PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering Tropical Depression 03S in the South Indian Ocean…and Tropical Depression 01W moving away from the Philippines

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

>>> Caribbean Sea:

>>> Gulf of Mexico:

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:

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:

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Depression 01W

JTWC textual forecast warning
JTWC graphical track map
NOAA satellite image