Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / July 17-18, 2012

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

Lihue, Kauai –                     81   
Honolulu airport, Oahu –  86  (Record high temperature for Tuesday / 91 -1995)
Kaneohe, Oahu –                 84
Molokai airport –                 81
Kahului airport, Maui –        84 
Kona airport –                    85
Hilo airport, Hawaii –           83

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain top around the state…as of 5pm Tuesday evening:

Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kapalua, Maui – 73

Haleakala Summit –     M (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit –   37 (near 13,800 feet on the Big Island)

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live web cam on the summit of near 13,800 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. This web cam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon shining down during the night at times. Plus, during the nights you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise and sunset too…depending upon weather conditions. Here's the Haleakala Crater webcam on Maui…although this webcam is not always working correctly.

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. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.  

 Aloha Paragraphs

 

Gusty trade winds, off and on windward
showers…elsewhere at times locally

There's quite a few showery clouds
upstream of the Hawaiian Islands

As this weather map shows, we have an unusually strong near 1036 millibar high pressure system located far to the north-northeast of the islands. Our local winds will remain active from the trade wind direction…moderately strong with some stronger gusts through Thursday.

The following numbers represent the most recent top wind gusts (mph), along with directions as of Tuesday evening:

33            Lihue, Kauai – NE 
42            Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
33            Molokai – NE 
35            Kahoolawe – NE
35            Kahului, Maui – NE 
38            Lanai – NE
35            Kealakomo, Big Island – NE

We can use the following links to see what’s going on in our area of the north central Pacific Ocean.  Here's the latest NOAA satellite picture – the latest looping satellite image…and finally the latest looping radar image for the Hawaiian Islands.

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Tuesday evening:
 
3.20               Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.35               Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.39               Molokai
0.03               Lanai
0.00               Kahoolawe
0.79               Puu Kukui, Maui
1.99               Kawainui Stream, Big Island  

                                        Sunset Commentary: 

Variable clouds with off and on passing showers into Wednesday along our windward sides…along with gusty trade winds over the next few days.  Stronger than normal high pressure to the north of Hawaii, will drive this locally strong trade wind flow. The passage of now retired tropical cyclone Emilia to our south, will add a bit of strength to our trades into Wednesday as well. These trades will carry off and on windward showers our way, stretching over into the leeward sides locally. The gusty trades, and the passing showers will taper off Thursday onwards…through the rest of the week. 

Here in Kula, Maui at 5pm, it was partly to mostly cloudy and calm with a light shower…71.6F degrees. Our local trade winds will continue blowing, generally in the moderately strong range through Thursday. There will be wind gusts in the 30-40+ mph range…becoming lighter by the end of the work week into the weekend. Part of this continued strong trade wind flow will be prompted by the passage of a low pressure system to our south…which is the remnant circulation of former tropical cyclone Emilia. Meanwhile, an area of showers, loosely associated with this low level swirl of clouds, will keep our windward sides a bit showery at times, lasting into mid-week…with breaks at times. The leeward sides will see a few of these passing showers, carried by the gusty trade winds at times too. In sum, our gusty trade winds will continue for the time being, with somewhat more than the normal amount of windward showers. ~~~ I'll be back early Wednesday morning, I hope you have a great Tuesday night wherever you happen to be spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

[World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Central Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Eastern Pacific Ocean:  Weakening tropical depression Fabio (6E) remains active in the northeast Pacific…located 640 miles south-southwest of San Diego, California. Sustained winds were 35 mph, as it moves in a more or less northerly direction. Here's the official NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image. Here's the hurricane model output for weakening tropical depression Fabio, showing it staying relatively close to Mexico, offshore to the west of Baja California…gradually edging eastward.

Elsewhere…tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours

Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Western Pacific Ocean:  Tropical storm Khanun (08W)…located approximately 205 NM south of Cheju-do, Japan. Khanun will continue to travel in a north-northwest direction over open ocean, impacting the North Korea coast in about two days. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a NOAA satellite image of this tropical cyclone. Sustained winds were 50 knots, with gusts to near 65 knots…peaking in strength today.

South Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

South and North Indian Oceans: There are no active tropical cyclones

Interesting:  Two-thirds of pet owners say they try to be good to the environment for the sake of their pet as much as a family member, according to new research from the Purina Together We Can campaign. The survey suggests that pet owners want to ensure that their pets can enjoy the great outdoors and they also want to preserve the planet for future generations of their beloved cats and dogs.

When asked specifically about recycling, 29% of pet owners said that they do it to protect the environment for their pet. Overall, Britain's pet owners are setting a great example with 88% of them recycling their household waste either 'always' or 'often'.

According to the research team, the new findings highlight a growing realization that environmental concerns and recycling efforts are aimed at protecting the planet for the future of pet, as well as human, generations. In the recent poll of 1,030 dog and cat owners, 72% of them see their pet as a part of the family who is as central to their home as much as anyone else and 39% said that they love their pet as if he or she were their own child.

Antal Van Hout, Regional Marketing Director at Purina, said: "Our new research has shown that when cat and dog owners think about the environment's future, around one quarter of them (28.7%) have considered how it might impact their pet."

"We know the special bonds between pet owners and their pets mean that many will go out of their way to make their pets' lives happy and healthy." "We also know that the environment we all live in is as important to our pets as it is to our own health and well being and we want to encourage British pet owners to help make a difference to all our pets' futures by recycling their steel pet food cans."

The survey showed that one-third (34%) of those polled would like to do even more to protect the environment for the sake of their pet. Purina brands Felix and Winalot have launched the Together We Can campaign aimed at encouraging dog and cat owners to recycle their steel pet food cans.