Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / August 11-12, 2015

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Tuesday…along with the minimums Tuesday:

87 – 75  Lihue, Kauai
91 – 76  Honolulu, Oahu – the record high temperature Tuesday was 92…back in 1985
87 – 74  Molokai
89 – 71  Kahului, Maui 
91 – 79  Kailua Kona
88 – 73  Hilo, Hawaii

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

1.52  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.98  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.06  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.02  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.19  Haiku, Maui
0.95  Keaumo, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph)…as of Tuesday evening:

20  Waimea Heights, Kauai – ESE
18  Kahuku Trng, Oahu – SE
22  Molokai – NE
23  Lanai – NE
25  Kahoolawe – NE
14  Kaupo Gap, Maui – SSE
29  Kealakomo, Big Island – NE

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.

Aloha Paragraphs

Tropical Storm Hilda continues to head in the general
direction of the Hawaiian Islands

Here’s a real time wind profile of Hilda and our islands

 

Hilda will move by well south of the Big Island 

 

Hilda remains a weakening tropical storm

Tropical Storm Hilda is located about 255 miles southeast of
Hilo, Hawaii…the clouds out ahead of, and to the north of Hilda,
will bring showers to parts of the state, especially windward areas

 

TS Hilda, despite being attacked by wind shear
aloft…continues to hold its own

A few showers are impacting the islands locally,
especially the Big Island – looping radar image

 

High Surf Advisory…east shores of Maui

High Surf Warning…east facing shores of the Big Island

Tropical Storm Warning…far southeast offshore waters

Tropical Storm Watch…for Hawaii County – means
tropical storm conditions are possible

Flash Flood Watch…for the Big Island – starting 6pm
Wednesday evening through 6am Saturday

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

The trade winds continue…although will gradually weaken Wednesday. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a real-time wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a moderately strong high pressure system to the north-northeast of the state. At the same time we see the approach of tropical storm Hilda to the southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. Our trades will gradually weaken as Hilda gets closer to our area. As this storm gets within range, it’s counter-clockwise circulation will begin to influence our winds here in the islands. We may eventually see our trade wind speeds pick up, as Hilda glides by safely to our south. Looking beyond Hilda, we should shift back into a fairly typical summertime trade wind weather pattern this weekend into next week.

We’ll see occasional passing showers…along our windward coasts and slopes for the most part. The leeward sides will have far fewer showers, with pleasant, albeit hot summer weather prevailing during the days. The latest CPHC forecast track above, shows what will be tropical depression Hilda moving by south of the the Big Island, which will bring an increase in clouds and showers, to not only that island…but possibly for other parts of the state as well. This weather event isn’t going to be a threat, at least in terms of winds, although there’s a good chance that it will bring rainfall to some parts of the state. This precipitation may be heavy enough to cause localized flooding here and there at times…on the Big Island end of the chain. As Hilda passes, and her influence wanes this weekend, we’ll see some windward showers falling at times, otherwise back to pretty nice summer weather conditions.

Tropical Storm 10E (Hilda) will move by well south of the Big Island…as a less dangerous tropical depression. Tropical depressions have sustained winds that are less than 39 mph. Hilda currently has sustained winds of 65 mph…with gusts to near 45 mph. Here’s a satellite image, and what the computer models are showing. It appears that this tropical cyclone will influence our local weather conditions the most…tonight through Friday time frame. It’s looking more and more like Hilda may just slide by south of the Big Island, as a weakening tropical depression.

According to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center:

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF…SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM HILDA WILL PRODUCE LARGE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SURF ALONG EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF PORTIONS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT DAY.

RAINFALL…HILDA MAY PRODUCE 6 TO 12 INCHES OF RAINFALL…WITH MAXIMUM VALUES OF UP TO 18 INCHES POSSIBLE…ALONG AND NORTH OF ITS PATH. THESE RAINS COULD RESULT IN LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY.

Meanwhile, and even before tropical storm Hilda arrives closer to the state, we’ve got yet another tropical disturbance trying to spin-up in the eastern Pacific. This area is being referred to as Invest 93E, and is located about 1550 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Here’s a satellite image of this disturbance, along with what the computer models are showing. Environmental conditions are unfavorable for development however, as it moves westward at around 10 mph. 

I’ll be back with more updates on all of the above and below, I hope you have a great Wednesday wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Here on Maui…It’s 545am Tuesday morning, skies are mostly clear, although with the usual clouds banked-up against the windward sides..and some showers. The leeward beaches around Kihei and Lahaina, are totally clear. The air temperature here in Kula, at my upcountry weather tower was 57.3 degrees, while it was 72 down at the Kahului airport…with a cooler 48 up at the summit of the Haleakala Crater at about the same time. / I continue to get reports of very generous rainfall along the windward side of east Maui this morning.

– We’re into the early afternoon now, under partly to mostly cloudy skies. The windward sides have seen lots of passing showers today, none of which have been overly heavy, although they seem to have been rather frequent. Looking at satellite imagery above, and radar images too, it looks like the Big Island will be under the gun soon, as more showers head their way…some of which look like could be pretty heavy. 

– It’s not early evening, under partly cloudy skies in general. There have been some showers around today, with even a few thunderstorms in a couple of locations on the Big Island. Here on Maui, it was a decent day, a bit cloudier than normal, although nothing too far from ordinary as it turned out.

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

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 cyclones

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

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days over the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea or Atlantic Ocean

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

>>> Eastern Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

1.)  Shower and thunderstorm activity increased overnight in association with a low pressure area located about 1550 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. However, development of this low seems unlikely before environmental conditions become less favorable later today while it moves westward at about 10 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent

Here’s a satellite image of this area, being referred to as Invest 93E…along with what the computer models are showing.

2.)  A tropical wave located south of the southeastern coast of Mexico is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. An area of low pressure is forecast to form in association with this wave within a couple of days a few hundred miles south-southwest of the coast of Mexico. Environmental conditions should support development later this week, and the system is likely to become a tropical cyclone by later this weekend or early next week while it moves west- northwestward at about 15 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…90 percent

Here’s the NHC 5-day outlook

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

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

>>> Central Pacific:

Tropical Storm 10E (Hilda) remains active, with sustained winds of 45 mph, and is located about 255 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing.

Here’s a satellite image, of Hilda described above

1.)  An area of disturbed weather about 560 miles south southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii was moving west near 8 miles an hour. This area is associated with a weak surface trough and a weak upper low lying over it. Atmospheric conditions are expected to remain unfavorable for tropical cyclone development within this area over the next couple of days.

* Formation chance through the next 48 hours…low…near 0%

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