The latest update to this website was at 614pm (HST) Wednesday evening August 4, 2021

 

Air Temperatures – The following high temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Wednesday afternoon…along with these low temperatures Wednesday morning:

87 – 79  Lihue AP, Kauai
88 – 77  Honolulu AP, Oahu
85 – 72  Molokai AP
87 – 71  Kahului AP, Maui
84 – 75  Kona AP, Hawaii
83 – 70  Hilo AP, Hawaii 

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

0.57  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.38  Wheeler AF, Oahu
0.41  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
1.07  West Wailuaiki, Maui
2.72  Kawainui Stream, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Wednesday evening:

27  Port Allen, Kauai
36  Kuaokala, Oahu
29  Molokai
38  Lanai
40  Kahoolawe
37  Kahului AP, Maui
40  Waikoloa, Big Island

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (~13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here’s the webcam for the (~10,023 feet high) Haleakala Crater on Maui. These webcams are available during the daylight hours here in the islands, and at night whenever there’s a big moon shining down. Also, at night you will be able to see the stars, and the sunrise and sunset too…depending upon weather conditions.

 

 

Band 13 - 10.3 µm - Clean Longwave Window - IR - 04 May 2021 - 0430 UTC
Thunderstorms active in the deeper tropics…and far east-southeast

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/hi/GEOCOLOR/GOES17-HI-GEOCOLOR-600x600.gif
Variable clouds over the island chain

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/hi/13/GOES17-HI-13-600x600.gif
Low clouds being carried our way on the trade winds

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/HAWAII_loop.gif

Showers falling locally

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/PHKI_loop.gif

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/PHMO_loop.gif

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/PHKM_loop.gif

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/PHWA_loop.gif

Model showing precipitation through 8-days (you can slow this animation down)

 

http://wwlln.net/WWLLN_movies/Movie_of_Lightning_in_Pacific_BIG.gif
Hawaii is on the 3rd line down from the top…and the 1st line to the right of the middle line (lightning is the blue dots)

 

https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/png/hfo.png

Please click this link…to see current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above



~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Glenn’s Wednesday comments: I’m at my friend Greg’s here in Sebastopol, located in far western Sonoma County California. / The low temperature this morning was 51.5 degrees, and we’re enveloped in thick fog. / Late afternoon, the cool onshore breeze is pretty strong, which is bringing in lots of cool air in from over the ocean. The temperature is 66 degrees at 411pm, and I can see fog not far away, which will likely be carried my way…which is what happened well before sunset yesterday. 

Broad Brush Overview: High pressure to the north will keep strong trade winds blowing over the islands into the weekend. Low clouds will bring a few showers, mainly to windward slopes during the night and morning hours…while most leeward areas remain dry.

Details: High pressure far north-northeast will generate strong trade winds into the upcoming weekend, as it shifts slowly west. The central pressure of the high is expected to remain steady for the next couple of days, thus locally strong trade winds are not expected to change all that much.

A low-level trough (remnants of what will eventually be left of T.S. Hilda and T.D. 9-E) may approach and pass near or north of the islands in the long term, potentially leading to some reduction in trade wind speeds late this weekend into early next week…although confidence in this occurring is low at the moment.

Models don’t explicitly highlight any significant moisture to bring enhanced rainfall to the islands, although do indicate that the center of a ridge will move north and away from the islands over the next couple of days. The cloud-capping subsidence inversion will remain sufficiently high to allow low clouds to deliver a few showers.

Most of this light to moderate rainfall will remain close to the windward mountains, and will be most likely during nights and mornings. Any light rain that occasionally falls over windward coastal areas, or that spreads to leeward communities, will do little to override the drying effects of the strong trades.

Here’s a near real-time Wind Profile of the Pacific Ocean – along with a Closer View of the islands / Here’s the latest Weather Map.  Here’s the animated volcanic emissions graphic

Marine Environmental Conditions: A strong surface high pressure system located far north-northeast of the islands is maintaining strong trade winds across the area. The trades are forecast to weaken slightly tonight, so the small craft advisory has been scaled back to only include the typically windier waters adjacent to the islands of Maui County and the Big Island tonight through Friday.

Due to the continuing strong trade winds, rough surf will likely remain slightly above the seasonal average along east shores. As the trades drop a notch, expect surf along east shores to lower to near the seasonal average tonight through Friday. Some additional lowering of the surf is expected along east shores this weekend into early next week.

Small south and southeast swells will keep small surf along most south shores through Friday. A new small southwest swell is expected to arrive this weekend, followed by the potential for a slightly larger south swell spreading across the area early next week. If this swell does arrive, it may cause surf heights along south shores to reach, or possibly exceed, the seasonal average starting next Tuesday. Expect nearly flat conditions to persist along most north and west facing shores through this weekend.

 

 

Photo Guide: The Top 19 Most Instagrammable Places in Kauai, Hawaii | Away Lands 
 

 

World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 

>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall…covering the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico


>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall…covering the Pacific and Indian Oceans

 

Atlantic Ocean:  

A small low pressure area with limited shower and thunderstorm activity is meandering over or near the Cabo Verde Islands. Significant development of this system is not expected during the next day or so due to unfavorable environmental conditions. However, locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds will be possible over portions of the Cabo Verde Islands through today while the system moves little. Additional information on the low can be found in high seas forecasts issued by Meteo-France.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…near 0 percent

>>> A tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic is producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are expected to be marginally conducive for some slow development east of the Lesser Antilles by Sunday and into early next week while the disturbance moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

>>> A tropical wave is forecast to move off of the west coast of Africa by late Thursday. Environmental conditions appear somewhat conducive for gradual development thereafter over the far eastern tropical Atlantic through the weekend into early next week while the system moves generally westward at about 15 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent

Caribbean: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days  

Gulf of Mexico: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days

Eastern Pacific: 

Tropical Cyclone Hilda…is located 1230 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California

Tropical Cyclone 09E…is located 1790 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

 

cone graphic

HILDA HANGS ON AS A TROPICAL STORM...EXPECTED TO WEAKEN ON THURSDAY

Here’s what the computer models are showing for Hilda

According to the NHC advisory 22…Hilda is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph (13 km/h), and this general motion with a slight increase in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Weakening is expected during the next couple of days, and Hilda is forecast to become a tropical depression by Thursday morning and degenerate into a remnant low early Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center.

 

DEPRESSION COULD BECOME A SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL STORM SOON

Here’s what the computer models are showing for 09E

According to the NHC advisory 9…The depression is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. The depression could become a tropical storm tonight, but weakening is forecast to begin late Thursday.

 

 

>>> A broad area of low pressure is expected to develop a few hundred miles offshore of the southwestern coast of Mexico this weekend. Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for some gradual development thereafter, and a tropical depression could form early next week while the system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph, parallel to and offshore of the coast of southwestern Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent

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

Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 12W…is located approximately 537 NM east-southeast of Sasebo, Japan

Tropical Cyclone 13W (Lupit)…is located approximately 157 NM east-northeast of Hong Kong

Tropical Cyclone 14W…is located approximately 81 NM west of Kadena AB, Okinawa

Tropical Cyclone 15W…is located approximately 445 NM east-southeast of Yokosuka, Japan

South Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

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



Interesting:  Climate Change Risk to Emperor Penguins

British Antarctic Survey scientists have contributed to a new study published today (3 August) which provides valuable new data highlighting how emperor penguins extinction risk is increased due to rapid climate change and an increase in extreme climate events, such as glacial calving and sea ice loss.

The study, published in the journal Global Change Biology led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and co-authored by an international team of scientists, policy experts, ecologists, and climate scientists, provides pivotal research and projections tailored for use by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The study recommends that emperor penguins be listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act and this week, the US Department of Interior/ USFWS submitted that listing recommendation.

“Scientists have a responsibility to make people aware of the need for change through objective evidence” explained lead author Stephanie Jenouvrier. “With the help of a dedicated team, we have put together this paper for the USFWS to provide additional analyses of future projections to help inform policy and protection for the species.”

The study presents the projected dynamics of all known emperor penguin colonies under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios using a climate?dependent meta-population model that includes for the first time, the effects of extreme climate events based on the observational satellite record of colonies.