Weather Details and Aloha Paragraphs

August 19-20 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 84F
Honolulu, Oahu – 88
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 89
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 87

HONOLULU, OAHU – 78
HILO AIRPORT – 72

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

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1025 millibar high pressure system located far to the NE of our islands. This pressure configuration will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing across our area today and Monday, gusty during the afternoons locally. Here’s a Weather Map Symbol page for clarification about what all those weather symbols mean on the map.

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.

Tropical Cyclone Activity – The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30…while the central Pacific (where Hawaii is) runs from June 1 through November 30. The latest storm information for the eastern Pacific can be found by clicking here. A storm tracking map for both the central and eastern areas can be found by clicking here . For the central Pacific, the latest storm information can be found by clicking here.

Photo Credit: flikr.com

 

The trade winds will remain the primary weather feature in the Hawaiian Islands this weekend.  Our weather will be quite pleasant, with lots of daytime sunshine, and balmy temperatures along the leeward sides. Clouds being carried in on the trade winds, will keep the windward sides showery at times. Towards the middle or end of next week, we may have the convergence of an upper level low, along with whatever moisture that may arrive from the deeper tropics…that could work together in bringing us an increase in showers then.

A tropical storm named Ioke has formed well south of the Hawaiian Islands now. This tropical cyclone will be too far to our away to directly influence us, and will be moving away to the SW and WSW over the next several days . The area, as shown by this satellite image, has taken on the classic spiral shape of a true tropical vortex now…and will be strengthening as it moves away from the islands. Despite it’s omnious appearance, it isn’t expected to give us any trouble…thank goodness. Meanwhile, hurricane Hector to our east will be dropping in strength now that it moves over cooler sea surface temperatures. Hector will not be a problem for the Hawaiian Islands either. See a tracking map for both systems in the paragraph below.

It’s early Saturday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I start writing this early sunset commentary.  The day was a quiet one up here, although I could see strong and gusty trade winds blowing down in the lowlands. There were showers around this morning along the windward sides, but they gave way to sunnier skies this afternoon. I didn’t go anywhere for a change, and just gave myself a full day from just about everything…lounging around like crazy. This evening I have an old friend from Marin County coming up for dinner. A friend gave me an old bottle of red wine, a 1988 Napa Valley Ramsay Cabernet Sauvignon. I was afraid it might be ”over the hill", or too old…and sure enough, it had a brown tint to it. It still tastes good enough to drink though, and I’ll offer my friends next door a taste. I’ll be cooking up some red sauce for a pasta dinner, served up with fresh organic salad mixings. It was a good day, very relaxed, and with a good head space to go with it. I hope you have a great Saturday night, whether you’re here in Lahaina or Paia, or in Denver, Colorado, or for that matter…maybe London, England. I’ll be back in the morning with more news, until then you can keep an eye on both tropical storm Ioke our south, and hurricane Hector to our east, usuing this storm track map neither of which pose a danger to Hawaii. Aloha for now…Glenn.