Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs / February 20-21, 2010

February 20-21, 2010

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

Lihue, Kauai – 77
Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kaneohe, Oahu – 77
Kaunakakai, Molokai – 78
Kahului, Maui – 79
Hilo, Hawaii – 79
Kailua-kona – 79

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level around the state – and on the highest mountains…at 4pm Saturday afternoon:

Port Allen, Kauai – 81F
Lihue, Kauai – 73

Haleakala Crater –    54 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea summit – 41 (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 Saturday afternoon:

0.11 Mount Waialaele, Kauai  
0.41 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.10 Molokai 
0.00 Lanai
0.00 Kahoolawe
0.69 West Wailuaiki, Maui 
0.30 Kawainui Stream, Big Island

Marine Winds – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map showing weak high pressure systems…along with their associated ridges to the north-northwest, and to the east-northeast of Hawaii. This pressure configuration will bring our wind speeds down, and turn them to the east and and then light and variable Sunday and Monday.

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

Upcountry Maui…Curtis Wilson Cost

A relatively dry and stable air mass over the islands will limit rainfall through the next several days…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 a further reduction in the low stratocumulus clouds upstream of the islands…to our northeast and east. If we look at an even larger view of the central Pacific, using this IR satellite picture, we can see large areas of high cirrus clouds to our south and southeast…and to the north.   

The winds will gradually become light and variable in direction Sunday…into Monday and Tuesday.  These winds will keep pleasant weather conditions over our islands….especially during the morning hours. Our winds will become light this weekend into early in the new week…ahead of the next cold front Wednesday. We may begin to see some light 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 at mid-week…followed by chilly north to northeast winds again for a few days.

It’s Saturday evening, as I begin writing the last section of today’s narrative.  Saturday was a good day in terms of weather, although it remained slightly cooler than normal. The windward sides had a few showers, and even the leeward sides, in a couple of places, had the clouds that formed over and around the mountains…rolling down towards the coasts. I expect a nice day Sunday, with more of the afternoon clouds in the upcountry areas, dropping a few light showers here and there. ~~~ Friday evening I went to 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! The critics are giving this film a C+ grade, while viewers aren’t much more generous, giving it a B-. I was a bit anxious about this film, after reading several reviews, but charged ahead anyway. I must admit that it was scary in parts, although I didn’t have to advert my eyes even once. At one particularly unnerving point, something shocked me a bit, and my foot shot out a little, hitting the sit in front of me…the guy sitting in that seat sort of chuckled in understanding. I was glad I saw the film, although would have a tough time recommending it. It really was quite an interesting film, and I would give it a B grade. Here’s a trailer for this film, that is if you have the guts to view it. ~~~ Here in Kula, Maui this evening, the clouds got thick enough, that at around 5pm, we had some light drizzle falling. I expect these clouds to evaporate after dark, with another cool night on tap in the highlands. I’ll be back Sunday morning at some point, although as is my new habit, I’m trying to sleep in like a normal person on Sunday’s now. This will have me putting out the next narrative later than during the rest of the week. I hope you have a great Saturday night wherever you happen to be reading from! Aloha for now…Glenn.