Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennJuly 17-18 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Tuesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 85F
Honolulu, Oahu – 88
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 89
Hilo, Hawaii – 87
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84
Temperatures early Wednesday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Kaneohe, Oahu – 77F
Hilo, Hawaii – 71
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Wednesday morning:
1.50 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.76 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.03 MOLOKAI
0.09 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.32 PUU KUKUI, MAUI
1.16 KEAHOLE AIRPORT, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure systems located to the north and ENE of Hawaii Wednesday. The trade winds will remain light to moderately strong over Hawaii’s marine environment…although locally stronger and gusty in those usual windiest locations through Thursday. 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.
Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Here’s a tracking map covering both the eastern and central Pacific Ocean.
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.
Jumping for Joy
Leftover moisture from this past weekend’s old frontal cloud band, kept Hawaiian skies cloudier and more showery than normal Monday, although conditions will dry out as we head into Wednesday. Accumulations were generally light, although the exception was the upcountry leeward slopes on Maui and the Big Island. The Kona slopes on the Big Island were especially well favored…where thunderstorms popped-up Monday afternoon. These leftover showers will continue to bring off and on showers Tuesday, although thereafter, at least through Wednesday, things will return to more or less normal. A second old front may bring another possible batch of showers into the state Thursday, although most of the associated precipitation will remain fixed on the windward coasts and slopes then…and especially over the Kauai end of the state. The trade winds are expected to remain in the more or less moderately strong realms through the work week, and then may increase in speed by the weekend, depending upon what happens with Cosme.
The tropical cyclone, named Cosme, currently in the eastern Pacific, briefly attained hurricane status Monday…although was quickly downgraded back into a tropical storm. This storm started out this past weekend as tropical depression 06E, or the sixth tropical cyclone of the 2007 hurricane season. All the available computer forecast models show it coming near our Hawaiian Islands, although it is still too early to know exactly what influence it may have just yet. At any rate, here is a tracking map, so you can follow its progress in our direction. The best hope is that it would come close enough to bring its much needed rainfall, and by the time it got close enough to do that…the strong and gusty winds would be gone. The forecast at this point is to have Cosme bring some weather changes to Hawaii starting late Friday, continuing into Saturday…most notably to the Big Island of Hawaii.
It’s Tuesday here in Hawaii as I begin writing this last paragraph of today’s weather narrative. The latest guidance shows tropical storm Cosme moving steadily towards the Hawaiian Islands. As noted above, it is still too early to say exactly what this storm will do in terms of wind. There’s more certainty that this tropical system will bring rainy weather to at least some parts of the state. The current forecast track shows Cosme moving by just south of the Big Island, with sustained winds there, which are directly associated with what is likely to be a tropical depression…of around 35 mph, with stronger gusts near 45 mph. The trade winds could become locally strong and gusty through the rest of the state, as this tropical vortex passes by to the south. The best guess at this point has Cosme moving close to the state, bringing an increase in showers, and locally strong and gusty winds. This outlook could be altered over the course of the next several days, as subtle changes in the atmosphere occur. Surf along the east facing shores may begin rising some as early as Friday, as the storm’s swell arrives. Everyone in Hawaii, and all mariners especially, should be keeping an eye on this approaching storm. and paying close attention to its movments. ~~~ I’ll be back early Wednesday morning with your next weather narrative. Aloha for now…Glenn.
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