February 20-21 2006

Air Temperatures — The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Monday:

Lihue, Kauai – 76F
Honolulu, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – 76
Kahului, Maui – 81
Hilo, Hawaii – 77
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 82

Temperatures early Tuesday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 5 a.m. hour:

Kailua-kona – 73
Hilo airport – 69

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

9.73 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
6.38 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.08 MOLOKAI
0.03 LANAI
0.16 KAHOOLAWE
3.90 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
3.27 WAIAKEA UKA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart — Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a very strong 1042 millibar high pressure system far NE of the islands. Although, with a trough of low pressure between the islands and that high pressure cell, we’ll see only a temporary spell of light trade winds today into Wednesday. 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 only available during the daylight hours here in the islands…that is unless there’s a big moon rising just after sunset for an hour or two!

Satellite Images — To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with the Infrared Satellite Imageof the islands to see all the clouds around the state. This next satellite image is one that gives close images of the islands only during the daytime hours, and is referred to as a Close-up visible satellite image. The next satellite 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 radar image.

Aloha Paragraphs

Tropical sunset in Hawaii
Photo: Douglas Peebles


There remains some influence of upper level low pressure systems around the Hawaiian Islands Monday. Our surface winds have been blowing from the SE over most areas of the state recently, helping to bring volcanic haze up from the vent on the Big Island…although that seems to have lifted out overnight. Meanwhile, the upper level winds are blowing from the west and SW, which was keeping high cirrus clouds streaming up over the islands…although that too has dissipated to a great extent as well.


These upper lows, with their associated cold air aloft, are still close enough to have sparked localized heavy showers, and some thunderstorm activity in some places overnight. This means that there is still the good chance of some heavy showers around, as occurred over the island of Oahu Sunday night…where 6-8+ inches of rain fell in those wettest places! This flooding rain focused its efforts over the Koolau Mountains, and along the windward coast, although Honolulu was reporting heavy rains early Monday morning too.

A canopy of high cirrus clouds will be giving way to more sunshine Monday.  Although, with reports of some heavy showers, and thunderstorms in the vicinity, those cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds will continue to be the rain producers in places Monday. As the light SE winds give way to light trade winds now into Tuesday, we’ll see some showers arriving along the windward sides of the islands more often now too.

It’s early Monday evening here in Kula, Maui. The day started off in an encouraging way here on Maui. Although, as the sun got higher in the sky, clouds began to form at pretty much all levels of the atmosphere. Here in the upcountry areas of east Maui, it has been a cloudy day. Speaking of Upcountry Maui, I am so proud to live here. I honestly think it is one of the finest places to live in all of the Hawaiian Islands. It does take a desire for cooler weather than down near sea level, that, and a liking for showery weather at times.  I have so much enjoyed this day, hardly doing a thing, being a real couch potato, reading magazines and poetry. A little of this and that, although not too much. I did make a quick red sauce pasta, which I will plate along side a blossom of steamed brocolli.

In celebration of my Fathers turn back towards good health, I am sipping on a glass of vodka, tonic water and a wedge of fresh picked Kula Lime. Speaking of my Dad, it is a wonderful thing being able to call my parents house, and have my Mom and Dad answer. I have gotten very use to those familiar voices, and just that he, and my Mom are there…is the ultimate comfort! I wish you well, and will catch up with those of you who attend Tuesday morning’s weather class from Maui, both on the internet and the TV show. Aloha for now…Glenn.

By the way, the reply box just below is not working correctly…I apologize for this malfunction. Meanwhile, I have decided to discontinue my fund raiser for the time being. Thanks so much to those that made a contribution to this website, including my TV weather show at the Maui Community College. I will leave the Paypal button on the left hand margin just in case there were some folks who hadn’t gotten around to responding to my 2006 donation drive.