May 5 – 6 2006

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Friday:

Lihue, Kauai – 80F
Honolulu, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – 80
Kahului, Maui – 82
Hilo, Hawaii – 75
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84

Temperatures early Saturday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:

Kailua-kona – 73
Hilo – 68

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

2.46 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
3.53 SOUTH FORK KAUKONAHUA, OAHU
0.16 MOLOKAI
0.35 LANAI
0.13 KAHOOLAWE
5.67 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
5.31 MOUNTAIN VIEW, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1029 millibar high pressure system to the NE of the islands Friday. Despite having low pressure aloft over the state Saturday, our winds will remain light to moderately strong trades, locally gusty at times…especially during the afternoon hours through Sunday. Here’s a Weather Map Symbol page for clarification about what all those funny weather symbols mean.

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 cloud conditions.

Satellite Images – To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with the Infrared Satellite Image of the islands to see all the clouds around the state 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…out from the islands. To help you keep track of where any showers may be around the islands, here’s the latest animated radar image.

Aloha Paragraphs

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Towering clouds today…some heavy showers



The main ingredients of our weather conditions in the Hawaiian Islands now include: the trade winds, incoming showers, and a trough of low pressure aloft. This is a recipe for many passing showers, most of which will be concentrating their efforts along the windward coasts and slopes. The trade winds will be blowing at moderately strong levels, which will help to carry showery clouds in our direction. At the higher altitudes of the atmosphere, cold air will enhance those showers, with some becoming locally heavy in places. The trough’s presence may be enough to trigger a few thunderstorm cells over the southern islands of Maui and the Big Island.

Looking at the latest weather map, we find a moderately strong high pressure system situated to the NE of the state. This trade wind generating high pressure cell will keep the islands in a breezy condition through Saturday…actually through the next week at least. This is normal during the month of May, when the trade winds usually are in force most of the time. The nights and early mornings often show the softest breezes, which pick up during the late morning through the late afternoons. These winds aren’t currently strong enough to prompt any warnings or advisories in the coastal marine environment. The trade winds help to temper the very warm afternoon heat near sea level.

As for those incoming showers, there will likely be quite a few of them through the next several days. They commonly stick pretty close to the slopes along the north and east facing windward sections. The leeward sides in contrast, often are too far away from these incoming moisture pockets, remaining quite dry. However, as there is cold air aloft, which will help to raise our temperature inversion, or even eliminate it all together, we may see afternoon cloud developments, which could drop a few showers just about anywhere. The leeward slopes of the Big Island, and perhaps Maui too, will see the most frequent showers falling…likely heaviest along the slopes of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala on Maui.

It’s early Friday morning here in Kula, Maui, as I begin this last paragraph of today’s weather narrative. I should note that the latest computer forecast models are suggesting that much of next week will have fine trade wind weather! As we move deeper into the spring month of May, our weather has a tendency to shift into a rather settled mode. The weather during most of May, right on into June, is the kind that the local Chamber of Commerce folks love to describe! During May and June, at least during most years, often finds sunny and dry weather conditions, along with balmy trade wind breezes most days. On another note, and as I was pointing out in my sunset commentary last evening, I had a great visit with my parents in southern California recently. I’m happy to say that my Dad, who has been experiencing a few “speed bumps” in his health lately, is stabilizing now. Nothing could make me happier than to see him regaining his strength, and able to get out on his cherished golf course again soon! I hope you have a great Friday, I’ll be back later in the day with more weather updates. Aloha for now…Glenn.

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