May 10 – 11 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 81F
Honolulu, Oahu – 83
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Kahului, Maui – 83
Hilo, Hawaii – 74
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84

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

Kaneohe, Oahu- 73
Hilo, Hawaii – 61

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

0.59 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.10 KAHUKU TRAINING AREA, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.24 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.78 HONAUNAU, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure centers far to north and the NE of the islands. The location and strength of these anticyclones will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing through Friday…strong and gusty at times. 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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Kealia Beach, Kauai



The latest computer forecast models show the current brisk trade winds, along with some windward showers…will be interrupted this weekend. In the mean time, high pressure to the NE of the state will keep the breezy trade winds blowing across our area. These cooling and refreshing winds are still strong enough to keep a small craft wind advisory active over some coastal and channel waters around Maui and the Big Island. The trade winds will blow through the end of this work week, and then begin to flag as we move into the weekend time frame.

Our local atmosphere is still a bit unstable, especially over and around the Big Island end of the Hawaiian Island chain. This suggests that the trade wind inversion is still quite high, allowing clouds to develop more vertically than normal. This in turn is a good indicator of somewhat more showers than we previously expected. The bulk of this falling moisture will be focused along the windward coasts and slopes…occurring most generously during the night and early morning hours. The leeward sides of the islands will remain mostly dry, with some possible afternoon showers along the Kona slopes.

Looking at the latest satellite images, there aren’t many sun dimming or filtering clouds around now. There was one rather minor swath of high cirrus clouds moving by, just to the south of the state. However, there’s a good chance it will fly by without moving northward over the Aloha state. This clears the way for what looks like more sunny weather, especially along those leeward coastal areas. All this sunny weather will force the local air temperatures upward, ending up in the 80F’s just about everywhere near sea level. Those warmest areas, like Kona, Kihei and Lahaina, will top out in the upper 80F’s!

As the weekend rolls around, the forecast calls for a temporary fading of our trade wind regime. A deep trough of low pressure, moving by to the north of the islands, will force our trade wind producing high pressure ridge southward near Hawaii. This will cause the faltering action of the trade winds, and may usher in a day or two of rather hot and muggy weather near the beaches. The lighter winds should prompt afternoon cloud buildups, and some possible showers over the interior regions. At the same time, the trough may send a weak cloud band towards us, although it would be very unusual if it brought any showers this time of year. We’ll find the trade winds snapping back into place right after the weekend…with more fine weather on tap for next week.

It’s early Wednesday evening here in Kula, Maui. The two weather items I have on my mind as the sun currently sinks into the western horizon, is how sunny and dry it was today, and the second is how incredibly close to being full the moon is, as it rises over the Haleakala Crater. As I was exclaiming during last evening’s sunset commentary, it was definitely summery today. The report I received from the Kihei area, in terms of the high temperature Tuesday confirms this fact: 90F degrees! I’m listening to the internet radio station, Manao Radio, which broadcasts from here on Maui. The current song is Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison…so sweet indeed! I’m enjoying a small glass of full bodied red wine called Black Chook, which is from Australia…it goes oh so well with the sunset, the music, the moon, and the overall sense of well being that I’m experiencing at the moment. I stopped by the Pukalani Superette on the way home, picked up some precooked Mahimahi, which I’ll plate with steamed organic brocolli. I hope you have a great Wednesday night, and don’t forget to click on a few of the google ads after you read this, there are some interesting deals available, and it helps to support this web sites existence at the same time. I’ll be back early, well before dawn Thursday morning, with your next weather narrative from paradise. Aloha for now…Glenn.


P.S. Here’s a link to one of the advertisers on the left hand margin: Adventures in Hawaii…whose website says: “We specialize in helping you to discover all the fun and exciting vacation activities that are available here in Hawaii. We make it EASY and affordable for you to make reservations in advance, so that you will be able to make the most of your time here in paradise. Our service is FREE … we have no hidden surcharges and it never costs you more to book with us!”