Hawaiian Islands weather details & Aloha paragraphs
Posted by GlennDecember 22-23 2007
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday:
Lihue, Kauai – 79
Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kaneohe, Oahu – 78
Kahului, Maui – 80
Hilo, Hawaii – 78
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 81
Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at 6 a.m. Sunday morning:
Lihue, Kauai – 74F
Hilo, Hawaii – 68
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Sunday morning:
1.46 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.56 MANOA LYON ARBORETUM, OAHU
0.01 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.89 PUU KUKUI, MAUI
0.29 WAIAKEA UKA, BIG ISLAND
Satellite and Radar 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.
Weather Chart – High pressure systems are stretched out across the Pacific, to the NW, north, and NE. This pressure configuration will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing across the Hawaiian Islands…gradually strengthening into the new week. Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map. 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.
Full Moon over Diamond Head, Oahu
photo credit: flickr.com
Sunny to partly cloudy weather will prevail, with the only showers…falling along the windward coasts for the most part. The leeward sides will be just fine, with lots of warm sunshine beaming down during the days! Air temperatures will rise into the 70F’s to lower 80F’s during the days, which is pretty normal for this time of year. I see no cold fronts, or upper level low pressure systems, which would turn our local weather wetter, on the horizon at this time.
It’s Saturday evening here in the islands, as I begin writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. Saturday was the first full day of the winter season here in the islands, as we sailed through the winter solstice Friday evening in fine shape. This winter will likely find, despite the mostly dry weather that we’re experiencing now, at least on the leeward sides…a somewhat wetter than normal winter. At the same time. this La Nina cycle that we’re in, which simply means that there is cooler than normal water in the tropical Pacific now…will exhibit more than the normal days that the trade winds will be blowing. This has certainly been the case for the last few weeks of the autumn season, and may very well remain the case through the rest of this year, into the first several days of 2008. ~~~ I went to see a new film last evening called Charlie Wilson’s War, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, among others. It’s based on the true story of how Charlie Wilson, an alcoholic womanizer and Texas congressman, persuaded the CIA to train and arm resistance fighters in Afghanistan to fend off the Soviet Union. With the help of rogue CIA agent, Gust Avrakotos, the two men supplied money, training and a team of military experts that turned the ill-equipped Afghan freedom-fighters into a force that brought the Red Army to a stalemate and set the stage for conflicts in the Middle East that still rage to this day. Here’s a link to the trailer. I liked this film quite a bit, it wasn’t one of those that I walk away shaking my head, saying to myself "that was an outstanding movie however." Tom Hanks played a great role, and was by far my favorite actor…there was good support by Philip Seymour Hoffman as well…Julia Roberts was beautiful as always of course. I would give it a solid B, unlike the extra solid A that I recently gave the film No Country for Old Men, which is also playing at theaters now…although don’t forget that that film has lots of violence in it! ~~~ I forgot to mention that at the Pacific Disaster Center, my regular day job in Kihei, we had an in house Christmas party Friday afternoon, which turned out to be fun. Several of the folks brought guitars, and we actually ended up singing Christmas songs! At first I was a little taken-ah-back, and then I got into it, as we all did, and sang many of the old classics together. The meeting room was all decorated with Christmas trees and decorations, and we had a nice sit down potluck meal together. It was just a perfect example how people get together during the holiday’s and enjoy each others company! ~~~ By the way, the December full moon is close at hand. A friend just told me that a little known but highly effective method of receiving light from nature is gazing at the moon…the longer the better. Moonlight produces calming, cooling and refreshing effects, which increase feelings of hope, peace, and optimism. ~~~ I’ll be back Sunday morning with more weather details and news of our favorably inclined weather pattern in the islands now. I hope everyone has a great Saturday night, wherever you are, and whatever you may be doing! Aloha for now…Glenn.
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