Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / September 27-28, 2015

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

84 – 78  Lihue, Kauai
87 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu
82 – 75  Molokai
88 – 76  Kahului AP, Maui
91 – 77  Kailua Kona AP
80 – 73  Hilo, Hawaii

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

2.13  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
5.92  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
1.16  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
3.14  Puu Kukui, Maui
3.75  Piihonua, Big Island

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

35  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
46  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
31  Molokai – NE
35  Lanai – NE
42  Kahoolawe – NE
36  Maalaea Bay, Maui – NNE
32  Waikoloa, 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 Depression Niala…south of the islands

Here’s a wind profile…of the area around the islands –
with a closer view of Hawaii

Here’s a satellite image of this tropical depression, along
with what the computer models are showing

Closest look at Tropical Depression Niala with the upper level
part of this storm being sheared towards the northeast

 

There are showers locally, some heavy over the islands
looping radar image

Small Craft Wind Advisory…all coasts and channels –
through 6am Tuesday

High Surf Advisory…east shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai,
Maui and the Big Island – through 6pm

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Strong and gusty trade winds will remain over the islands…through the next several days. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a moderately strong high pressure system well to the north-northeast of the state. Our winds are arriving from the trade wind direction, and will continue to do so well into the future. As tropical storm Niala moves by a safe distance to the south of Hawaii…our trade winds will remain stronger than normal.

We’ll find off and on showers along our windward sides…blowing over into the leeward sides on the trade winds locally. Island skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, depending on location. The windward sides will receive the bulk of the incoming showers…although the leeward areas will receive some at times too. The source of this rainfall will be the northern fringe of tropical moisture, associated with tropical storm Niala. The models go on to show the return to a more normal trade wind weather pattern by Tuesday or Wednesday. There’s a continued chance that widespread heavy rains may arrive over the islands next weekend. This rainfall event could be loosely associated with TS Niala, which will reside well to the southwest of the islands later in the week.

Tropical Depression Niala (pronounced Nee-ah-la) remains active to our south of the islands. Here’s a satellite image of this tropical system, along with what the latest computer models are showing. This satellite image gives a larger context of this tropical depression and the Hawaiian Islands. Here’s a near real-time wind profiler showing this counter-clockwise rotating tropical cyclone south of the Aloha State. As Niala moves by to the south of the state, our local trade winds will continue to be locally strong and gusty. The islands will see rainfall, most of which will fall over the Big Island…although not exclusively.

HAZARDS AFFECTING THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

RAINFALL AND SURF HAZARDS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH MONDAY ARE NOW MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH STRONG TRADE WINDS. THESE WINDS ARE DRIVEN BY GRADIENT FLOW ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF STRONG HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. THE HAZARDS REMAIN QUITE REAL…BUT THE NIALA COMPONENT IN THEIR GENERATION IS DIMINISHING RAPIDLY.

Friday Evening Film: A new film is out, and it looked very exciting, at least according to the trailer, which I’ve put a link to below. It’s called Everest, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley…among many others. The synopsis: 2 Guns Helmer Baltasar Kormakur directs Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, and John Hawkes in this adventure docudrama, set in 1996, when a number of simultaneous expeditions up Mount Everest resulted in the deaths of eight climbers.

My friend Jeff and I saw this film, and we agreed that it deserved somewhere between a B+ and an A- grade. The visuals were superb, and for as much as I was looking for it, I didn’t see anything fake about it. I kept wondering how they got all those incredible shots…up there on that mountain of mountains! It was full of nerve wrenching moments, which in many ways were nightmares for these high altitude climbers. A large part of the story showed how one bad mistake can become deadly. I mean, it’s dangerous enough just being up there, although when ones mind plays tricks on itself, the mountain and the weather always wins. I liked the film, thought it was very well done, and was glad to have a taste of what it’s like up there that high…without having to experience it for real! If you have any interest…here’s the trailer.

Here on Maui…It’s 615am Sunday morning, with partly to mostly cloudy skies…with showers falling along our windward sides. / Now at 11am, clouds have increased across the island, and it has just started to mist here in Kula. It looks like that area of showers that were to the north and northeast of the state, are now moving inland over Maui County. I anticipate that these showers will continue through the afternoon at least.

– We’re into the early afternoon hours now, and it’s mostly cloudy across the island, with most of the showers falling along the windward sides. We’ve had a couple of light sprinkles, but nothing that has gotten my weather deck totally wet yet.

– We’ve pushed into the early evening hours, and I’m afraid that we’ll miss the rising full moon, as Maui County, and much of the rest of the state…is covered with clouds. Here in Kula, it’s quickly becoming foggy, with off and on misty drizzle falling, as it has most of the afternoon. There’s a cool breeze, although I can see streaks of muted sunshine still appearing down in the central valley.

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

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Depression 11L remains active, located 425 miles southwest of Bermuda, with sustained winds of 35 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system

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

1.)   A low pressure system located over the south-central Gulf of Mexico, about 100 miles north of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula, is producing an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms that extends from the eastern Gulf of Mexico southward across western Cuba and the Yucatan Channel. Upper-level winds are expected to remain only marginally conducive for development while the system moves northward toward the northern Gulf Coast during the next couple of days. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, this disturbance is likely to produce locally heavy rainfall over portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast, and the southeastern United States during the next few days. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the low this afternoon, if necessary.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…40 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent

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 17E (Marty) remains active, located 215 miles west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with sustained winds of 70 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

1.)   A trough of low pressure located about 1000 miles south-southwest of the Baja California peninsula is producing an area of disorganized cloudiness and showers. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for some development of this system during the next several days, however, upper-level winds could become less favorable by the end of the week while this disturbance moves east-northeastward or northeastward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low 20 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium 60 percent

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 Depression 06C (Niala) remains active, located 440 miles south of Honolulu, Hawaii, with sustained winds of 35 mph. Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing.

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