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

80  Lihue, Kauai
83  Honolulu, Oahu
78  Molokai
82  Kahului, Maui
83  Kona, Hawaii
77  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 843pm Saturday evening:

 

Kailua Kona – 78
Hilo, Hawaii – 69


Haleakala Summit –   43 (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 30 (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

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Locally gust winds on Kauai and Oahu, while Maui and the
Big Island find their winds turning lighter – winds remaining
quite light through the upcoming work week…statewide

A modest cold front arriving over Kauai and Oahu…with a
stronger cold front next Friday into the weekend

Showers around Maui County and the Big island…some locally
heavy Sunday and Monday

High Surf Warning...north and west shores of Kauai, Oahu,
Molokai, and north shores of Maui

Small Craft Advisory…most coastal and channel areas





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

27  Mana, Kauai – N
24  Kuaokala, Oahu – N
18  Molokai – NE
27  Lanai – NE
24  Kahoolawe – NNE
12  Kaupo Gap, Maui – S
24  South Point, Big Island – NE


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

0.12  Kilohana, Kauai
0.36  Pupukea Road, Oahu
2.72  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
2.02  Puu Kukui, Maui
3.38  Hilo airport, 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 ~~~



Variable winds. locally quite gusty, becoming lighter Maui and the Big Island…and then lighter across the board during most of the new work week ahead. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the Pacific Ocean. ~~~ We find a high pressure system far to the northeast of the state, with a second high pressure cell far northwest of Hawaii. At the same time, we see a low pressure systems far to the north and north-northwest, with an associated cold front approaching Kauai. Finally, we see a low pressure trough over the Big Island. ~~~ The winds will take on a more northerly orientation over Kauai and Oahu, in association with the cold front arriving over that end of the state. Typically, northerly winds bring somewhat cooler air temperatures to the state. As the low pressure trough is now close to Maui and the Big Island, the variable winds over those areas will calm down some over the next couple of days. Winds in general will take a turn towards lighter everywhere as we move into the new work week.

Off and on showers along our windward sides…particularly over Maui County and the Big Island. Satellite imagery shows clouds over and around the Big Island, and parts of Maui County…associated with a low pressure trough over that part of the state. We also see the leading edge of a weak cold front to the northwest of Kauai…arriving over that part of the state with time. Here’s the looping radar image, showing showers near and around the Big Island. The low pressure system will stall over or near the eastern islands, and will bring off and on showers to those islands into Monday. There’s a good chance that some of these showers will end up being quite heavy at times…especially on the Big Island. Looking at this larger satellite image, which is in the looping mode, we can see both the counter-clockwise area of low pressure near the Big Island, and the approaching cold front to our northwest. This weak frontal cloud band will bring a modest increase to the western islands of Kauai and Oahu this weekend as well.

We’ll find clouds and showers on the Big Island, and to a lesser extent over Maui County and Oahu…along with a weak cold front arriving Sunday over the western islands. The models continue showing this cold front approaching the state from the northwest. This front will move down into our island chain, bringing some showers to Kauai and Oahu for the most part. This fairly modest front will bring its showery weather to our windward sides…although the leeward sides may see some showers too. Meanwhile, as noted above, an area of showery clouds will impact the eastern islands over the next couple of days, some of which may be quite heavy, with even a possible thunderstorm near the Big Island. At some point, this front and trough may join forces, keeping localized rainfall over the eastern islands Sunday into Monday. ~~~ Looking further ahead, it appears that New Year’s Eve and New Years Day will have lighter winds, which could prompt afternoon clouds around the slopes, with a few upcountry showers locally. The beaches should have pretty nice weather, with generally dry conditions there. As we move into the second half of the new week, the models are showing another cold front approaching the state. This cold front may be a more vigorous system than we’ll seen in a while. If the models are correct, it will bring gusty Kona winds (south to southwest) ahead of it, and locally heavy, and possibly flooding rainfall to the state next Friday into the weekend. I’ll be back Sunday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Saturday night here in the islands, or wherever you happen to be spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Friday evening Film: There are several good looking films that have just come out, several of which I’m considering must see’s! One of these is called American Hustle, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner…among others. The synopsis: brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld, along with his equally cunning and seductive British partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent named Richie DiMaso. DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and mafia that’s as dangerous as it is enchanting. Carmine Polito is the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and Feds. Irving’s unpredictable wife Rosalyn could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down. Let’s face it, or at least for me, what could be wrong with a film including these top notch actors and actresses!? I’m really looking forward to seeing this one, and have been ever since I first laid eyes on the trailer. That this film takes place in the 1970’s, which was a very informative period in my own life, makes it especially interesting. ~~~ As it turned out, all the hype over this movie was absolutely warranted, at least in my opinion. I saw this film with six other friends, a big crowd, and the theater was packed, with all of us having to scatter our seating throughout. When we gathered after the film, we stood in a circle, and went around and gave our impressions. There were six solid A grades, and one A+. We all loved it, and those of us in the same car driving back upcountry, couldn’t get over how great the acting was! What more can I say? It was entertaining to da max! Here’s the trailer, just in case this film has your interest too.



World-wide tropical cyclone activity:


Atlantic Ocean: The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th. Here’s the 2013 hurricane season summary


Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

Caribbean Sea:

Gulf of Mexico:

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: The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15th through November 30th. Here’s the 2013 hurricane season summary


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: The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th. Here’s the 2013 hurricane season summary


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


Western Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


South Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones


North and South Indian Oceans: Tropical Cyclone 05S (Christine) is active in the South Indian Ocean, here’s the JTWC graphical track map…and a satellite image.

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


Interesting: New York City to Use Food Waste to Heat Homes – New York City will reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills by converting it into energy. Last week, Deputy Mayor Cas Calloway announced that the city will partner with Waste Management to deliver pre-processed organic waste food to Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant where it will be added to wastewater sludge to increase biogas production. The biogas by-product will be converted into renewable natural gas for both residential and commercial use through a partnership with National Grid, an international electricity and energy company.


Through this project, enough energy could be produced to heat almost 5,200 New York city homes and reduce annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 90,000 metric tons, equivalent to removing almost 19,000 cars from the road. In addition, the project will help the city reach its PlaNYC goal of reducing municipal GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2017, a goal it is more than halfway to achieving.


The New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection uses about 40 percent of the biogas produced at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The new partnership with National Grid will help to ensure that 100 percent of the biogas produced will be converted to power, which means it will not contribute to the plant’s GHG emissions. The project will be financed by National Grid. A biogas purification system’s construction will begin in 2014. The system will purify the plant’s remaining 60 percent of biogas it produces.


“This first-of-its kind renewable energy project will harness part of the 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater that New Yorkers generate every day,” said Deputy Mayor Holloway. “The public-private partnership that made this possible will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of removing nearly 19,000 cars from city streets—a huge step towards making a greener, greater New York City. I want to thank Ken Daly and his team at national grid, and the State Public Service Commission for working with us to make this happen.”


Last month, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the restaurants participating in the city’s Food Waste Challenge have diverted over 2,500 tons of food waste from landfills during the first six months of the program. Over a 100 restaurants are participating in the program, which is a voluntary one to help reduce food waste going to landfills. Over 50 of the participating restaurants have already achieved the program’s goal of a 50 percent food waste diversion.