Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Sunday:

82  Lihue, Kauai
83  Honolulu, Oahu
83  Molokai
86  Kahului, Maui
85  Kona, Hawaii
85  Hilo, Hawaii


Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops on Maui and the Big Island…as of 730pm Sunday evening:


Kailua Kona – 80
Hilo, Hawaii – 76


Haleakala Summit –   46 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 37 (13,000+ 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 – if it’s working.

 


Aloha Paragraphs


http://yaling.hawaii-aloha.com/upload/Image/rainbow.jpg

 Cloudy skies with showers at times, some locally
heavy…and possible thunderstorms around Kauai
and Oahu – fewer showers on the other islands

Satellite Image…lots of clouds around today!

Small Craft Wind Advisory…Alenuihaha
Channel between Maui and the Big Island





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

27  Port Allen, Kauai, Kauai – SE
27  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – NNE
29  Molokai – ENE
30  Lanai – NE
32  Kahoolawe – ENE
32  Kahului, Maui – NE
31  South Point, Big Island – NE


Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Sunday evening:

1.62  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.69  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.06  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.63  Hana airport, Maui
0.58  Laupahoehoe, Big Island


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.


~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~



Our local trade winds will be light to moderately strong…although dropping off into the light realms at times during the new week ahead. Here’s a weather chart showing a near 1030 millibar high pressure center to the north of our islands. At the same time, there’s a gale low pressure system far to the northeast, along with a developing gale low pressure system located far to the west…with a cold front running between the two.

There will be showers falling at times, locally heavy over Kauai and Oahu, with a possible thunderstorm…less intense showers elsewhere around the state.  Satellite imagery shows that lower level clouds are covered up by the high clouds above. These brighter white, higher level clouds have pushed over us from the north, and now are covering most of the state…although Kauai is in the clear again at the time of this writing. Here’s the looping radar image, showing light to moderately heavy showers moving by in the trade wind flow, mostly over the offshore waters, although over the islands in places too.


An early season weather change is upon us now, and will influence our area for several more days. The forecast calls for a low pressure system to drop down over, or near the western side of the state now, destabilizing our overlying atmosphere. At the same time, increased low level moisture will arrive on the trade winds from the east. This one-two punch will bring us into a period of unsettled weather…with increasing showers. There’s the chance that we’ll see heavy showers, or even thunderstorms…at least over the Kauai and Oahu end of the chain over the next couple of days. The models are suggesting that this unsettled weather pattern could stick around well into the new week ahead, keeping wetter than normal conditions active.

As this low pressure system aloft will be closest to Kauai and Oahu, those two islands will probably have the most rainfall, although all of the islands will see more than the normal amount of precipitation…at least at times. As we get into the middle of the new week. the low will gradually move away, or at least lose some of its influence, bringing us back around to somewhat more normal trade wind conditions. ~~~ I drove down to lower Kula this morning with all of my neighbors in one car, and had a lovely breakfast at our local French restaurant. We then drove back up to the property that one of these neighbors bought, and all walked around checking the latest progress. I came home, and have pretty much taken it easy the rest of the day. I tried to take a little nap in the afternoon, but couldn’t quite fall asleep. However, I got myself into the most mellow frame of mind, and just enjoyed the muted sunshine, the birds singing, and my wind chimes. I had an early dinner, plating organic potatoes and onions (sauteed), along with wild caught local Mahimahi, and red heirloom tomatoes…which was delicious! I popped a cold bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and sipped on that while eating. I have another five days before I take off on my autumn vacation to California and Oregon, I leave on Friday. I’ll have more to say about all of that before I fly off into the wild blue yonder. I’ll be back early Monday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Sunday night wherever you happen to be spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Friday Evening Film: This time around I’ll be seeing another film on its opening night, although somehow here on Maui, despite that fact, the theaters don’t always fill up. It’s called Rush, starring Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Daniel Bruhl, and Alexandra Maria Lara…among many others. The synopsis: the true story of two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed — handsome English playboy James Hunt, and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Niki Lauda. Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. ~~~ This film is getting good to very good grades by both the critics and viewers. I ended up meeting four other friends at the shopping mall, where we had a quick dinner, and sat around the table catching up on each others lives, before the film started. Let me start off by saying the title of this film clearly describes what you will find on the screen for this two hour piece of work. It was a rush to sit there, and feel the power of those engines, no doubt! The competition, and great rivalry between these two race car drivers was the heart and soul of this great film. In sum, it was a high-octane thriller, and the grades the five of us gave immediately afterwards speaks volumes here: A+, A-, A-, A-…and an A. Here’s the trailer of this film, in case you’re interested in taking a peek.

Saturday Evening Film: I’m going down a second time this weekend, to see yet another film, which I’ve been looking forward to seeing…ever since I saw the trailer the first time. It’s called Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, and Gemma Arterton…among many others. The synopsis: Princeton grad student Richie, believing he’s been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block. Richie is seduced by Block’s promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him. ~~~ The critics are being very tough of this film, while the viewers that have seen it…aren’t that impressed either. Nonetheless, I gave it the old college try, and as it turned out, I was perfectly happy with the outcome. As a matter of fact, I liked it quite a bit, enough in fact, that I was very happy to have taken the drive downtown to see it. I would have to say that Justin Timberlake isn’t my favorite actor, he seemed a little light for this film, although it was fun to see Ben Affleck get heavy at times in contrast. I felt is was definitely worth seeing, and as a grade, I’ll go with a light B+ on this particular piece of work. Meanwhile, here’s the trailer, if you’d like to take a quick look. 


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:


Atlantic Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclone

A TROPICAL WAVE IS PRODUCING DISORGANIZED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
OVER THE EASTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES SOUTHWEST
OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. SOME GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
DISTURBANCE IS POSSIBLE BEFORE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS BECOME UNFAVORABLE
AROUND MIDWEEK. THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOW CHANCE…20 PERCENT…OF
BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND A MEDIUM
CHANCE…40 PERCENT…OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE
NEXT 5 DAYS WHILE IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 10 MPH.


Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones


Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclone

 

A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EASTWARD OVER THE
NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AT ABOUT 10 MPH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
REMNANTS OF KAREN.  THIS DISTURBANCE IS BEGINNING TO MERGE WITH A
COLD FRONT TO ITS WEST...AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE NOT
CONDUCIVE FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF A TROPICAL CYCLONE.  THIS SYSTEM HAS
A LOW CHANCE...NEAR 0 PERCENT...OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE
DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...AND A LOW CHANCE...NEAR 0 PERCENT...OF
BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.


Here’s a satellite image of the Caribbean Sea…and the Gulf of Mexico.

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

Eastern Pacific: Tropical storm 14E (Narda) is active over the northeast Pacific. Here’s a NHC graphical track map…along with a NOAA satellite image


Here’s a wide satellite image that covers the entire area between Mexico, out through the central Pacific…to the International Dateline.


Central Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)


Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm 22W (Fitow) is now dissipating inland over China. Here’s a JTWC graphical track map…along with a NOAA satellite image – Final Warning


Typhoon 23W (Danas) remains active in the western Pacific. Here’s a JTWC graphical track map…along with a NOAA satellite image


South Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


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


Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC


Interesting: What’s holding up offshore wind energy in the US? – In June, after years of offshore wind power projects being thwarted in the United States, the first offshore wind turbine began spinning off the U.S. coast. The turbine was not a multi-megawatt, 400-foot behemoth off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, or Texas — all places where projects had long been proposed. Rather, the turbine was installed in Castine Harbor, Maine, rising only 60 feet in the air and featuring a 20-kilowatt capacity — enough to power only a few homes.


But it was a turbine — finally. Offshore wind power in the U.S. has struggled mightily to rise from the waves, even as other renewable energy industries have steadily grown. The country now has more than 60,000 megawatts of onshore wind, but still just the lone offshore turbine, a pilot project run in part by researchers at the University of Maine. Meanwhile, Europe has left the U.S. far behind, installing its first offshore turbine in 1991 and growing rapidly in the past decade. To date, the countries of the European Union have built 1,939 offshore turbines with 6,040 megawatts of capacity.

Is the U.S. offshore wind industry finally about to get off the ground? Offshore wind carries impressive electricity-generating potential, and several projects seem poised to get underway. But energy analysts say the industry still faces daunting hurdles, most notably the higher cost of building offshore wind farms, the expense of connecting them to the onshore grid, and the lack of the comprehensive government incentives and renewable energy targets that have been crucial in fostering the growth of Europe’s offshore wind energy sector.


On the positive side, the infamous Cape Wind project, mired in legal battles for more than a decade, hopes to start construction next year. With plans to construct 130 turbines in the shoals between Nantucket and Cape Cod, The Interior Department has completed the first of two auctions for large offshore parcels for wind development.Cape Wind has faced enormous legal struggles because of opposition from local residents concerned that the turbines would mar the region’s beauty and harm seabird populations. But its legal battles are now largely behind it, and Cape Wind has power-purchase agreements in place. The wind farm’s developer, Jim Gordon, says the project will eventually be capable of supplying about 75 percent of the electricity needs of Cape Cod, which has a year-round population of 215,000.