Weather Details and Aloha Paragraphs

September 20-21 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 85F
Honolulu, Oahu – 86
Kaneohe, Oahu – 84
Kahului, Maui – 90
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84

KANEOHE, OAHU – 78
HILO AIRPORT – 70

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:

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a large and strong 1034 millibar high pressure center located to the NE of our islands Thursday. This high will keep strong and gusty trade winds blowing across the state Thursday…gradually getting lighter Friday. 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.

 

Sandy beach on the Big Island…there aren’t that many 
Photo Credit: flikr.com

The recent episode of strong and gusty trade winds will continue Wednesday. A large 1032 millibar high pressure system is located to the NE of our islands. The pressure gradient between this high pressure cell, and low pressure to our south…will cause a blustery trade wind flow across Hawaii for another day or two. These unusually strong and gusty trade winds will begin to ease up a little during the second half of the week.  The trades are strong enough now that we have an active small craft advisory over all Hawaiian waters.

These strong trade winds are carrying some showers to the islands, although nothing out of the ordinary. The windward sections will see those showers arriving mostly during the night and early morning hours. The leeward sides will likely remain quite dry, although there may be a few afternoon or early evening showers falling along the Kona slopes on the Big Island. The weak tropical depression to the SSW of the islands will be too far away to provide any moisture. In sum, nothing unusual in terms of precipitation through the rest of this week…although we may see a slight increase in showers over the weekend, as a trough of low pressure approaches.