Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs / February 19-20, 2010

February 19-20, 2010

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Friday afternoon:

Lihue, Kauai – 74
Honolulu, Oahu – 76
Kaneohe, Oahu – 73
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 76
Kahului, Maui – 77
Hilo, Hawaii – 76
Kailua-kona – 79

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level around the state – and on the highest mountains…at 5pm Friday evening:

Port Allen, Kauai – 79F
Kapalua, Maui – 68

Haleakala Crater –    46 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 37 (near 14,000 feet on the Big Island)

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 afternoon:

0.03 Mount Waialaele, Kauai  
1.81 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.10 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.28 West Wailuaiki, Maui 
0.15 Kawainui Stream, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing high pressure systems…along with their associated ridges moving eastward into the area northeast of the islands. This pressure configuration will bring out wind speeds down, and turn them to the east and southeast into Sunday.

Satellite and Radar Images: To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with this 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. Finally, here’s a Looping IR satellite image, making viewable the clouds around the islands 24 hours a day. To help you keep track of where any showers may be around the islands, here’s the latest animated radar image.

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 weather conditions.

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather 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. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Another of those wonderful Hawaiian sunsets

A relatively dry and stable air mass over the islands will limit rainfall through the weekend…although there will be those occasional showers. The leeward sides will find generally fine weather, with little if any rainfall. The windward sides will find a few showers falling at times, generally during the night and early morning hours. This IR satellite image shows somewhat of a reduction in the low stratocumulus clouds, which have prevailed along most of windward areas the last few days. If we look at an even larger view of the central Pacific, using this IR satellite picture, we can see a vast area of high cirrus clouds to our south and southeast.   

The trade winds will gradually become lighter Saturday, becoming light and variable in direction Sunday…into Monday and Tuesday.  These winds will keep pleasant weather conditions over our islands. If we check out this weather map, we see a couple of high pressure systems moving by to the north of Hawaii…moving into the area northest of the islands. Our winds will become lighter from the southeast later this weekend into early in the new week…ahead of the next cold front around Wednesday. We may begin to see some haze collecting over some parts of the island chain Sunday through Tuesday. The lighter winds will also cause some afternoon clouds, and a few light showers in the upcountry areas. The cold front will arrive with some showers…followed by chilly north to northeast winds again for a few days.

It’s Friday evening, as I begin writing the last section of today’s narrative.  As noted in the paragraphs above, our weather will remain generally favorable, with just a few showers falling here and there at times. The cool northeast winds, which have been blowing across the state since the last cold front, this past Wednesday…will be giving way to warmer and lighter winds this weekend. We don’t really have anything to worry about until around the middle of the new week ahead. This will present itself as the next cold front brings around round of chilly north to northeast winds into play for a few days. ~~~ This evening I’ve decided to go see the new film called The Wolfman (2010), starring Benicio De Toro, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Hopkins…among others. This is being rated an R film, due to bloody horror, violence and gore! Oh my gosh, and I’m going to see this! The critics are giving this film a C+ grade, while viewers aren’t much more generous, giving it a B-. Now that I’ve been reading a few of the reviews, I’m getting scared, I might end up averting my eyes a few times!? Here’s a trailer for this film, that is if you have the guts to view it. I hope I don’t have nightmares tonight! ~~~ I’ll be back Saturday morning with your next new weather narrative, and my review of this film too. I hope you have a great Friday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.