The latest update to this website was at 509pm Saturday (HST)

 

Here are the highest temperatures Saturday…and the lowest Saturday:

83 – 72  Lihue AP, Kauai
86 – 74  Honolulu, AP
82 – 72  Molokai AP, Molokai
87 – 72  Kahului AP, Maui
85 – 72  Kona AP, Big Island
83 – 67  Hilo, AP, Big Island

>>> There are lots of new locations that measure rainfall and winds now, here’s a map of all areas for your reference

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

0.61  N Wailua Ditch, Kauai
0.22  Kalawahine, Oahu
0.03  Honolimaloo, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.27  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.33  Honaunau, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Saturday afternoon:

35  Port Allen, Kauai
38  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
33  Molokai AP, Molokai
35  Lanai 1, Lanai
54  Na Kula, Maui
39  Hokulo, Big Island

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcams on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (~13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii, and atop the Haleakala Crater (~10,023 feet) 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://weather.gc.ca/data/satellite/goes_gwdisk11_1070_100.jpg

Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/tpw/13/GOES17-TPW-13-900x540.gif 

 A cold front is located northwest…with thunderstorms far south


https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/hi/GEOCOLOR/GOES17-HI-GEOCOLOR-600x600.gif

Low clouds being carried our way on the trade winds

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/hi/13/GOES17-HI-13-600x600.gif

Thin high level clouds moving by to the south

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/HAWAII_loop.gif

Localized showers

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Kauai_VIS_loop.gif

Kauai and Oahu (Satellite)

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHKI_loop.gif

Kauai and Oahu (Radar)

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Oahu-Maui_VIS_loop.gif

Oahu and Maui County (Satellite)

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHMO_loop.gif

Oahu and Maui County (Radar)

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Hawaii_VIS_loop.gif

 Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and the Big Island (Satellite)

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHKM_loop.gif

Maui County and the Big Island (Radar)

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHWA_loop.gif

Big Island (Radar)

 

Model showing precipitation through 8-days (you can slow this animation down)

 


Please open this link to see details on any current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Glenn’s Saturday comments:  I’m home here in upper Kula, Maui, Hawaii.

It’s mostly clear here in Maui County early this morning before sunrise, with the usual clouds along the windward sides and over the West Maui Mountains. The low temperature here at my place was a cool 50.5 degrees.

Heading over to play Pickleball in Haiku soon, will be back with more updates…have a good day wherever you are!

April had a respectable showing state-wide to round out the 2024-2025 wet season. The majority of stations reported near to above average rainfall totals for the month, with most of that falling during the second half of the month. The month began with moderate southeast to south winds and a surface ridge over the state, ahead of a cold front approaching from the northwest. The front moved through Kauai on the 3rd and stalled over the Kauai Channel on the 4th before dissipating. Moderate to fresh east to northeast trade winds filled in behind the front and continued through around the 14th. An increase in low-level moisture around the 9th and 10th acted to boost trade wind showers with some pockets of moderate to heavy rain, especially on Kauai and the Big Island, though no significant flood impacts occurred.

Around the middle of the month, the trade winds eased enough to allow a land/sea breeze pattern to set up from the 16th through the 19th. A disturbance aloft moving over the state during this time resulted in enough instability for some heavy showers and thunderstorms. The 17th focused the heaviest showers along Windward Maui and O?ahu, as well as leeward Big Island and Kauai. The 17th through 18th saw the heaviest rainfall with windward and interior portions of Kauai and O?ahu picking up 7 to 10 inches of rain in 24 hours, Mt. Waialeale, where they picked up the highest daily total for that island this month. Kauai Emergency Management reported flash flooding near the Hanalei River Bridge that day as well. The Poamoho Rain Gage #1 also recorded the highest daily total for O?ahu in April. Other windward areas saw around 2 to 4 inches of rain, while the light winds and sea breezes allowed leeward areas to pick up several tenths of an inch of much needed rainfall.

Moderate to fresh easterly trades with typical scattered windward and mountain showers returned for the next few days as high pressure reasserted itself north of the area. During this period, a few heavier showers occurred over the leeward slopes of the Big Island and portions of Maui with rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour at times, though no significant flooding was observed. Trades weakened and shifted out of the southeast beginning on the 22nd ahead of the next weather maker in the form of a developing surface low and accompanying upper-level low northwest of the islands. These lows, along with the associated instability maximum and most thunderstorm activity, remained centered just west of Kauai, with the remainder of the state under high-moisture south to southeast flow. Portions of Kauai, O?ahu, and Maui saw some heavy showers stream over them from the south with rainfall rates of around one inch per hour over the next couple of days, but the moderate to fresh wind speeds kept the showers moving quickly enough to avoid any significant flooding effects.

As the lows to the northwest weakened and stalled west of Kauai into the weekend of the 25th and 26th, the moderate southeasterly winds weakened, allowing land and sea breezes to set up over the majority of the state. However, Hawaii remained under a moist and relatively unstable airmass for the next few days, allowing some afternoon showers to become somewhat heavy over interior and leeward areas of Kauai and O?ahu. None of these were enough for any real flooding impacts. Trade winds began to slowly return to round out the month as the troughs to the west dissipated.

Weather Wit of the day:  Rainy Opening Day – Ooze on first

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview:  High pressure north of the islands will maintain moderate to breezy easterly trade winds through the forecast period. Clouds and showers will favor windward and mountain areas, particularly at night and during the early morning hours, with a few showers occasionally spilling into leeward areas due to the strength of the trades. Some shower development is also expected each afternoon over the Kona slopes of the Big Island. A disturbance aloft could bring an increase in shower coverage and intensity late next week.

Hawaii’s Weather Details:  A high is centered well north, and is driving moderate to breezy trade winds across the island chain. Imagery shows partly cloudy conditions across much of the state, with a bit more cloud cover affecting some windward and mountain areas, as well as portions of leeward Big Island. Radar imagery shows scattered showers moving into windward slopes and coasts, with a few showers spilling leeward at times over the smaller islands, and affecting the leeward slopes south of Kona on the Big Island.

High pressure will shift eastward to the north of the state today, then strengthen as it moves northeastward and further away from the islands tonight through early next week. This will maintain breezy trades across the island chain. The trades may ease slightly during the middle to latter part of next week, as a couple of cold fronts pass by to the north of the state.

Fairly typical trade wind weather will prevail, with showers favoring windward areas, particularly at night and during the early morning hours. A few showers will occasionally reach leeward communities due to the strength of the trades, and some leeward shower development is expected each afternoon on the Big Island. A disturbance aloft could increase shower coverage and intensity across the islands late next week.

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 / Vog map animation

Hawaii’s Marine Environment:  A surface ridge north of the area will continue to bring fresh to strong easterly trades through early next week. A Small Craft Advisory, now in effect through Sunday afternoon, has been expanded to include most Hawaiian waters with the exception of windward Kauai and windward Big Island. The advisory will likely need to be extended through early next week as these fresh to strong trades persist.

Surf along south-facing shores will trend up as a new, long period, south southwest swell builds. Small forerunners have begun to show up at the near shore buoys with a 17 second period. This swell is forecast to fill in, peaking tonight into Sunday, then slowly decrease into early next week. Surf heights may approach low end advisory criteria during the peak of the event.

Surf along east-facing shores will remain rough and choppy due to the persistent trade winds.

Surf along exposed north-facing shores will remain small with mainly shorter period north swell. A mix of small north and northwest swells will maintain small surf along north-facing shores.

 



World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 

Atlantic Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Caribbean Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Gulf of Mexico:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Northeastern Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

North Central Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Southwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

North and South Indian Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Arabian Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

>>> Here’s a link to the Pacific Disaster Center’s (PDC Global) Weather Wall website

 

Interesting:  Vanishing Vultures Could Have Hidden Costs for the Planet

Falling vulture numbers in the Americas could have serious implications for public health and ecosystems, new research has found.

A first-of-its-kind study conducted in Costa Rica has revealed that pig carcasses take twice as long to decompose if vultures are not present to provide their rapid recycling services.

Notably, other scavengers do not fill the void left by the absence of the birds, except for flies, whose numbers were seen to double with the reduced competition.

The study, published in Ecology and Evolution, and led by scientists in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, Cornwall, and OSA Conservation in Costa Rica, shines a light on the underappreciated role played by vultures. It also raises questions and concerns about the potential impact of increased fly populations on the environment and human health.

Read More: University of Exeter