Last update to this website was at 127pm Wednesday afternoon, November 18, 2020


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

82 – 74  Lihue, Kauai
87 – 74  Honolulu, Oahu –
87 – 75  Molokai AP
86 – 73  Kahului AP, Maui –
87 – 76  Kona AP, Hawaii
83 – 71  Hilo, Hawaii – 

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

2.02  Anahola, Kauai
1.72  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.20  Molokai
0.08  Lanai
0.12  Kahoolawe
0.86  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.75  Mountain View, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Wednesday afternoon:

22  Port Allen, Kauai
28  Kii, Oahu
28  Molokai
35  Lanai
30  Kahoolawe
35  Maalaea Bay, Maui
25  Upolu AP, Big Island

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (~13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here’s the webcam for the (~10,023 feet high) 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.

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov//GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/TPW/GEOCOLOR/GOES17-TPW-GEOCOLOR-900x540.gif
An upper low near Kauai, A cold front north…and tropical cyclone Polo far east of Hawaii

 

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Higher level clouds clipping parts of the state…with thunderstorms near Kauai and Oahu

 

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Showers falling locally and offshore…quite heavy in places
Looping Radar Image
Model showing precipitation through the next 8-days



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Please click this link…to see current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above




~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~



>>> Glenn’s Wednesday comments: Skies were cloudy over the entire island of Maui early this morning, although now at going on 10am, I see lots of blue skies, punctuated by high cirrus and lower level clouds too…especially over on the windward sides, where it looks rather wet. I’m heading up the mountain now, up to Hosmer’s Grove to do some skateboarding, that is if it’s not wet.

I just got back from up the mountain, and only got two skateboarding runs in before the fog and mist arrived. I won’t skate when the pavement gets even slightly damp, as I don’t want to the wheels to slip and I’d take a fall…not way! I decided to drive up to Hosmer’s Grove, and it was coming down even heavier there, although I enjoyed just sitting quietly and watching. Oh by the way, I saw three wild mountain goats while skateboarding, first time I’ve seen them since being in the Haleakala Crater years ago…I wish I could show you the video I took of them!

Now at 1250pm, back here at my place in upper Kula, it’s cloudy with a light mist falling, although the sun is faintly out too.

Broad Brush Overview: A combination of an upper level low over the western islands, and a low level cloud band drifting in on the trade winds, will keep off and on showers active for the next few days. The most clouds and showers will remain over windward areas.

Moderate trade winds will increase in strength over the next several days, becoming locally quite strong Friday and Saturday…and windy as we reach Sunday. The trade winds will ease up Monday onward…as the high pressure ridge north of the islands weakens.

Details: A band of low clouds lingers just north of the state. These clouds are associated with an old cold front that is dissipating. Strengthening trade winds will push these clouds and showers over the island chain, bringing locally wet weather through tonight…especially along the windward slopes.

A high pressure system building in over the Central Pacific will increase wind speeds over the next several days statewide. A wind advisory may be needed for this upcoming weekend if these strengthening winds actually manifest as the computer weather models suggest.

Looking Further Ahead: The dynamics with the upper low and the old cold front will produce passing showers…favoring windward areas. Periods of showers will also drift leeward on the trade winds. Blustery wet trade winds will develop this weekend…with continued unsettled weather and passing showers.

Look for decreasing trade wind speeds back into the moderate range, as the high pressure ridge north of the islands weakens ahead of an approaching cold front. The models hint at drying trends for the first half of next week, with only brief periods of shower activity mainly along windward slopes.

Here’s a near real-time Wind Profile of the Pacific Ocean – along with a Closer View of the islands / Here’s the latest Weather Map.  Here’s the animated volcanic emissions graphic

Marine Environmental Conditions: Trade winds will continue, then steadily increase through the second half of the week and weekend. Small Craft Advisory winds will be possible as early as Wednesday night over the typical windier channel waters and areas around Maui County and the Big Island, then over most waters this weekend as the winds trend up.

Winds may near gale levels over these windier channel waters and south of the Big Island by Sunday. In addition to the increasing winds, seas will trend up and become rough over waters exposed to easterly trades and northwest swells…likely reaching advisory levels for most waters beginning late Saturday.

Surf along north facing shores will remain up as a north swell lingers. This swell will fade tonight through the second half of the week. Forerunners associated with a new northwest swell will arrive tonight. This swell will build down the island chain into Thursday morning, peak by Thursday night, then ease into the weekend.

The trend continues over the weekend with a new north-northwest likely arriving and building by Saturday night, then peaking through the day Sunday. Surf should remain below the advisory criteria for exposed north and west facing shores as these sources peak.

Surf along east facing shores will steadily trend up through the second half of the week into the weekend as the trades trend up locally and upstream of the islands. This will translate to rough conditions with advisory level surf likely over the weekend.

Surf along south facing shores will remain small through the upcoming weekend with mainly a mix of southeast and south-southwest energy moving through. The current pulse out of the south will fade, with a similar source possibly arriving over the weekend.

Nuisance coastal flooding impacts will continue for vulnerable low lying coastal areas around the early morning high tides into Friday due to a combination of higher than predicted ocean water levels and high astronomical tides. Water levels will begin to lower through the weekend.

 

 

 

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World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity


>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall…covering the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico



>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall…covering the Pacific and Indian Oceans

 

Atlantic Ocean:

A non-tropical area of low pressure could form between the Bahamas and Bermuda by early next week. The system could gradually develop subtropical characteristics through the middle of next week while it moves northeastward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

Caribbean:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT31/refresh/AL312020_5day_cone_with_line_and_wind+png/151000_5day_cone_with_line_and_wind.png

 

Post-Tropical Cyclone 31L (Iota)…is located 20 miles west-northwest of San Salvador, El Salvador – Last Advisory

IOTA DISSIPATES OVER CENTRAL AMERICA…HEAVY RAIN THREAT CONTINUES

Here’s what the computer models are showing

According the NHC advisory 21…The remnants are moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 km/h) with higher gusts.

>>> A broad area of low pressure could form in a day or so over the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Development, if any, of this system is expected to slow to occur during the next several days while the it moves slowly west-southwestward or westward across the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, areas of heavy rain are possible during the next several days from Nicaragua southward across Central America and into Colombia. These rains could cause new flooding concerns, especially across previously inundated areas.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent

Gulf of Mexico: 

Eastern Pacific: 

Tropical Cyclone 21E (Polo)…is located 650 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

TROPICAL STORM POLO CONTINUES MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD WELL SOUTHWEST OF MEXICO

Here’s what the computer models are showing

According the NHC advisory 5…Polo is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h). This general motion is expected today, followed by a turn toward the west by Thursday and a westward motion through Friday. Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today, with gradual weakening anticipated to begin on Thursday. Polo should degenerate into a remnant low pressure area on Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center.

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

Central Pacific:  

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

 

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Northwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

South Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)



Interesting: Are E-cigarette Users at Greater Risk of Poor Immune Response to Flu, COVID? – In a controlled study of smokers, nonsmokers, and e-cigarette users, University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers found that e-cigarette users exhibited significantly altered immune responses to a model of influenza virus infection, suggesting increased susceptibility to disease.

In a controlled study of smokers, nonsmokers, and e-cigarette users, University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers found that e-cigarette users exhibited significantly altered immune responses to a model of influenza virus infection, suggesting increased susceptibility to disease.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, show that vaping changes the expression of genes and production of proteins in respiratory cells, as well as altering virus-specific antibody production.

“In many of the study participants, we observed more changes to the immune response in e-cigarette users than we did in smokers,” said first author Meghan Rebuli, PhD, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Pediatrics and member of the UNC Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology.

“All of these factors have the potential to adversely affect response to a virus and immunity post-infection. While we used influenza as a model, this suggests that e-cigarette users are likely more susceptible to respiratory viruses than are non-smokers, and this likely includes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

”The main reason to avoid smoking is the risk of cancer, heart disease, emphysema, stroke, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, and other lung diseases. For these reasons, researchers also have been studying the potential effects of electronic cigarettes, which are composed of thousands of chemicals many of which are FDA-approved for ingestion, but not inhalation.