Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs

December 20-21 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 79F
Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Kahului, Maui – 82
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 82

Kaneohe, Oahu – 72F
Hilo, Hawaii – 64F

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

0.17 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.46 WILSON TUNNEL, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.02 LANAI
0.09 KAHOOLAWE
0.19 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.22 GLENWOOD, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1028 millibar high pressure system far to the ENE, with its associated ridge extending westward…running by to the north of Kauai. The net result will be for light trade winds through Friday…locally gusty during the afternoons in the southern part of the state.  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. 

There seems to be no end to the great weather conditions that we have lined up ahead of us here in the islands!  The trade winds will be our most influential weather feature as we head towards the Christmas holidays. These trade winds will blow mostly in the light 5-15 mph category, although there will be some localized gustiness during the afternoons in some locations. A trade wind producing high pressure ridge will remain to our north. This pleasant reality is forecast to last through the rest of this week, into early next week. 
 
There will be some clouds around, most notably along the windward coasts and slopes, although not many showers are expected.  As described above, we will continue to have high pressure to our north…as well as a high pressure ridge aloft. The combination will keep shower activity minimized. The leeweard sides will be dry, dry, and more dry! The windward sides may see an occasional light shower, but nothing anywhere near heavy is indicated. 

It’s early Wednesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this sunset commentary.  As I was driving home from work today, I happened to notice a fire burning up in the West Maui Mountains, in the general area that had large, out of control, fires this past summer. It was a relatively small spot of flames, but as these things go…who knows how large it could become. When I got home, I went out on my weather deck and tried to spot it, but couldn’t…so lets hope for the best. Today during my lunch break from work, I got down to a local beach in Kihei, and found lots and lots of folks stretched out from one end of the beach to the other. There must be the whole holiday visitor crew here in the islands now, and they were taking full advantage of the sunny day! There were a few small waves breaking, which was fun for me…and a lot of people seemed to be trying to ride this small surf all along the beach as well. As mentioned in the more weather related paragraphs above, we continue to glide through day after day of great weather…with no end in sight. Actually, the computer forecast models are now showing a cold front swinging down through the state later next week, but lets not get too serious about that prospect of increased showers, until the models have a chance to sort out all the details over the next several days. I hope you have a great Wednesday night, and that you will meet me back here again on Thursday, which will end up being the first day of winter 2006. Aloha for now…Glenn.