July 26-27, 2010


Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday afternoon:

Lihue, Kauai –  86
Honolulu, Oahu –  87
Kaneohe, Oahu –  85
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 82
Kahului, Maui – 88
Hilo, Hawaii –   79
Kailua-kona –   83

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops too…as of 5pm Monday evening:

Port Allen, Kauai – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 76

Haleakala Crater –    52 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 50 (near 14,000 feet on the Big Island)

Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Monday afternoon: 

0.09 Mount Waialeale, Kauai  
0.09 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.02 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.26 West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.39 Kealakekua, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems far to the northeast through northwest of the islands. Our local trade winds will remain active Tuesday and Wednesday…generally in the moderately strong category.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this Infrared Satellite Image of the islands to see all the clouds around during the day and night. This next image is one that gives close images of the islands only during the daytime hours, and is referred to as a Close-up visible image. This next image shows a larger view of the Pacific…giving perspective to the wider ranging cloud patterns in the Pacific Ocean. Finally, here’s a Looping IR satellite image, making viewable the clouds around the islands 24 hours a day. To help you keep track of where any showers may be around the islands, here’s the latest animated radar image.

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of near 14,000 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. The tallest peak on the island of Maui is the Haleakala Crater, which is near 10,000 feet in elevation. These two webcams are available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon rising just after sunset for an hour or two! Plus, during the nights and early mornings you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise too…depending upon weather conditions.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here. Of course, as we know, our hurricane season won’t begin again until June 1st here in the central Pacific.

 Aloha Paragraphs

  http://www.coconutroads.com/HiloViewMaunaKea.jpg
       The Big Island
 
    

 

The trade winds remain active as we push into this new week, although not strong enough at the moment…to see NWS issued small craft wind advisories early Monday evening. There were some fairly strong trade wind gusts occurring at a few locations…topping out at 30-33 mph. As this weather map shows, we have a 1029 millibar high pressure system located in its customary location, at least during our long summer season…far to the northeast of the islands. This high pressure cell has an elongated ridge of high pressure extending southwest from its center, into the area north and northwest of Hawaii. Wind speeds are blowing in what could be considered the moderately strong realms in most places. The forecast models suggest that this variety of a trade wind pattern will continue through mid-week. There may be a nudge upwards in strength later this week, which if it happens…would necessitate small craft advisories in and around some parts of Maui and the Big Island’s marine environment then.

We saw some showery clouds get carried into the state last night, particularly along our windward sides…which will likely happen again tonight. There were lots of clouds at least, although as it turned out…few substantial showers ended up in our rain gauge system. Checking in with this IR satellite image, we see more clouds heading our way from the east and northeast. At the same time, we see lots of thunderstorms down to the southwest, south, and southeast. There are several streaks of high cirrus clouds riding the upper winds in our direction…one of which is moving over Maui County and the Big Island…at the time of this writing at least. If we shift over to this tighter IR view, we can see those fingers of high cirrus, and the cloud patches that are impacting the Big Island and Maui County windward sides. Despite these clouds and showers, the overlying atmosphere remains on the dry and stable side, thus limiting all that much of an accumulation in any one place. There are no former tropical cyclones to the east of us, and so it would likely take the arrival of an upper trough of low pressure over the state, in addition to available moisture, to bring any substantial rainfall…which isn’t in the cards at this time. Speaking of showers, here’s the looping radar image.

It’s Monday evening as I begin writing this last section of today’s narrative update.  Our weather here in the Hawaiian Islands will be somewhat more cloudy than usual for the time being. The trade winds are blowing as usual, and of course there are a few showers spilling along our windward sides. Other than all of this, nothing is very much out of the ordinary at the moment. We see a pretty good sunset this evening, as a result of the high cirrus clouds in the area, especially in the southern part of the island chain. If they’re still around Tuesday morning at sunrise, there may very well be more color in our skies. ~~~ Here in Kihei, Maui, before I take the drive back home to Kula, it’s quite cloudy, at least in those upper realms of the atmosphere. There aren’t all that many lower level clouds, and its pretty breezy too. The air temperature is really nice, despite the clouds and trade wind breezes, running in the middle 80F’s at the time of this writing. I’ll be back early Tuesday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Monday night until then!

>>>>Hello everyone, in brief…Maui County is completely offline, apparently the main internet cable was cut between Oahu and Maui. I’m at work, and have only the most limited connectivity. I’ll do more updating when I can, just wanted you to know. Aloha for now…Glenn.

Interesting: An acrid fog from forest and peat fires has blanketed Moscow, as the Russian capital swelters in a record heat wave. Firefighters were trying to douse 60 fires covering 145 acres in the countryside outside Moscow on Monday, the emergencies ministry said. People with bronchial problems were advised to stay indoors as the level of toxic particles in the air rose five to eight times above the norm.

Flights were unaffected, but the smog shrouded landmarks like the Kremlin. Doctors say Muscovites should keep their windows closed and wear gauze masks to avoid inhaling ash particles. Areas to the east and south-east of Moscow are reported to be worst affected. Water-bombing planes are being used to tackle the fires just beyond the city. Temperatures in Moscow have risen above 95F in the most intense heat wave to grip the city since 1981.

Interesting2: "Many people," says Dr. Eeva Karjalainen, of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metla, "feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature." Forests — and other natural, green settings — can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness.

Forest visits may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells. Many studies show that after stressful or concentration-demanding situations, people recover faster and better in natural environments than in urban settings.

Blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the level of "stress hormones" all decrease faster in natural settings. Depression, anger and aggressiveness are reduced in green environments and ADHD symptoms in children reduce when they play in green settings.

In addition to mental and emotional well-being, more than half of the most commonly prescribed drugs include compounds derived from nature — for example Taxol, used against ovarian and breast cancer, is derived from yew trees, while Xylitol, which can inhibit caries, is produced from hardwood bark.

Dr. Karjalainen will coordinate a session on the health benefits of forests at the 2010 IUFRO World Forestry Congress in Seoul. "Preserving green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from stress, maintain health and cure diseases. There is also monetary value in improving people’s working ability and reducing health care costs." she says.

Interesting3: A heat wave has gripped parts of Mongolia, China, and Japan over the past week. Temperatures have averaged nearly 10 degrees above normal in Beijing since Friday, and 10 to 15 degrees above normal in Tokyo for the last 5 days. With overnight lows around 80, there has been little relief from the heat at night.

While relief is on the way for some, the ridge of high pressure responsible for the heat wave will not be going away any time soon, so others will continue to see temperatures that are well above normal. Eastern Mongolia and northern China will have broiling sunshine, with highs into the upper 90s and lower 100s through the middle of the week. Farther east, a dip in the storm track will bring cooler temperatures along with scattered showers and thunderstorms to Japan.

Powerful storms spawned by intense heat and humidity produced flooding and tornadoes in the Midwestern United States on Saturday, disrupting travel and cutting power to thousands of homes. The National Weather Service said more than 7.5 inches of rain — the amount the city would see over two months during a normal summer — fell at Midway Airport in Chicago in the past day. "A large area is being impacted by this system," said Jack Hales, a weather service forecaster based in Norman, Oklahoma