Weather Details and Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennAugust 30-31 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Thursday:
Lihue, Kauai – 87F
Honolulu, Oahu – 90
Kaneohe, Oahu – 86
Kahului, Maui – 89
Hilo, Hawaii – 88
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 84
Temperatures early Friday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:
Honolulu, Oahu – 78F
Hilo, Hawaii – 72
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Friday morning:
1.35 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.95 MANOA LYON ARBORETUM, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.01 LANAI
1.08 KAHOOLAWE
1.16 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
1.54 WAIAKEA UKA, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure systems located far NE and NW of Hawaii. The trade winds will remain in the light to locally moderate levels Friday into Saturday. 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.
Can you feel the warmth and softness of this tropical air?
Photo Credit: flickr.com
Light to moderately strong trade winds will be the rule here in Hawaii well into the future. The latest weather map shows high pressure systems located to the NE and NW of the islands…the source of our breezy trade winds now. This type of wind regime is very common during the late summer period here in the tropics. The latest computer forecast models don’t show any letup in the trade winds well into the future. As always, the winds are lightest during the night and morning hours, picking up during the afternoons.
Nothing unusual in terms of showers here in Hawaii at the moment, with the usual places receiving a few…although a few could be briefly heavy. The computer forecast models show an upper level trough of low pressure moving closer Friday into the weekend. This upper trough may be able to enhance local showers some then. As the trade winds will be active, the focus for showers will generally be along the windward sides…although the leeward slopes on the Big Island and Maui, may see additional afternoon and evening showers too.
It’s Thursday here in the islands, as I update this last paragraph of today’s narrative. As we move through this very last part of August, we have the trade winds dominating our Hawaiian Island weather picture…which is typical. As noted in the two paragraphs above, little change in their strength is expected, with a chance of somewhat more showers as we get into the weekend time frame. Last weekend we saw a trough of low pressure bring localized heavy showers, and even a couple of thunderstorms on Oahu. Last weekend was a different story however, as the winds were light, which put most of the showers over the interior sections of the islands. This coming weekend in contrast, the trade winds will be breezy, which will keep most of the showers over the windward sides. The two exceptions will be along the leeward slopes of the Big Island and Maui…where there may be showery weather during the afternoon hours locally. There could be a briefly heavy shower along those volcanic slopes, although the clouds will clear back after dark. ~~~ The recent south swell that graced our leeward beaches didn’t get as large as expected, and as a result the high surf advisory was cancelled soon after it was issued. There will be a couple more swells coming up from the southern hemisphere during the next week, although nothing is expected to be large enough to pose danger. ~~~ A new tropical storm has formed in the eastern Pacific, called tropical storm Gil. It will peak in strength, well below the hurricane status. The GFS model shows whatever is left of Gil, which will just be an area of moisture with no wind left…could bring an increase in windward biased showers to the islands around next Friday, September 7th. Later in the day another new tropical depression called 11E, which will soon be troipical storm Henrietta sprung to life as well. ~~~ All things considered, our weather here in the islands will be just fine for the most part! I’ll be back early Friday morning with your next new narrative from paradise. I hope you have a great Thursday night wherever you happen to be reading from. By the way, the Night Blooming Jasmine, growing just below my weather tower windows, is sending the most intoxicating scent these days…incredible! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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