Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / January 30-31, 2018

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

83 – 64  Lihue, Kauai
82 – 65  Honolulu, Oahu
80 – 67  Kahului AP, Maui
81 – 68  Kailua Kona
81 – 64  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

1.17  Makaha Ridge, Kauai
0.01  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.00  Molokai
0.06  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.00  Maui
0.06  Pali 2, Big Island

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

25  Makaha Ridge, Kauai
22  Kuaokala, Oahu
16  Molokai
10  Lanai
17  Kahoolawe
25  Kula 1, Maui
24  PTA Kipuka Alala, Big Island

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (nearly 13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here’s the webcam for the 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.

Aloha Paragraphs

A cold front is moving into the state

This comma-shaped cold front is slowly moving over Kauai and Oahu

Mostly clear to partly cloudy…clouds are over Kauai, Oahu, and parts of Maui County

A few showers…some are heavy near or over Kauai and Oahu
Looping image

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Small Craft Advisory…waters around Kauai, as well as windward Oahu

High Wind Warning…Big Island summits through this evening / 45-65 mph…gusts over 75

Special Marine Warning…Kauai leeward and windward waters, and Oahu windward waters / strong thunderstorms

Broad Brush Overview: A winter cold front is moving into the islands from the northwest, while southerly kona winds are steadily building, along with an increase in showers…mainly for Kauai to Oahu. This front will reach Kauai first, and then stall near Oahu Wednesday, with a second front arriving Thursday keeping periods of wet weather going into the weekend.

Details: As this front has gotten closer, our winds have shifted to the southeast and south and increased, becoming moderate over Kauai and Oahu…and has drawn volcanic haze (vog) up over the smaller islands. There are increasing clouds, showers and thunderstorms reaching Kauai and Oahu. The front then stalls, although leaves unsettled weather conditions from Kauai down through Molokai Wednesday. 

Looking Further Ahead:  For Super Moon eclipse watchers, extensive cloud cover remains in the forecast for Kauai and Oahu early Wednesday morning, where viewing of the eclipse will remain challenging. Cloud cover will improve east of Molokai with the best locations for viewing expected over Maui and the Big Island.

Yet another winter cold front is forecast to move into the state…and then stall over Kauai and Oahu during the upcoming weekend. Showers will be numerous along the front, and could be locally heavy. This wet weather pattern will persist into early next week, as forecast guidance suggests yet another cold front will approach Hawaii from the northwest by next Monday.

Here’s a wind profile of the Pacific Ocean – Closer view of the islands / Here’s the vog forecast animation / Here’s the latest weather map

Marine environment details: A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) is in effect for waters near Kauai due to southerly winds increasing, ahead of a cold front approaching from the northwest. The SCA level winds are not expected to spread down the chain.

A series of northwest and north swells will impact the islands through the end of the week. These swells are expected to bring additional SCA later in the week.

A couple of swells are expected to arrive through Wednesday, although aren’t expected to bring advisory level surf to the islands. However a larger northwest swell is due to arrive Wednesday night and Thursday. This swell will bring advisory level surf during its peak, and could approach low end warning levels. An even larger northwest swell is expected to arrive Friday, peaking Saturday, then lower a bit Sunday and Monday. Surf heights with this swell are expected to reach warning levels late Friday through Saturday.

A small east swell produced from trade winds upwind of the state, will continue to produce some elevated surf along east facing shores through Thursday…although will remain below advisory levels.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

>>> Here’s the Tuesday PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering Tropical Cyclone 07S (Cebile) in the South Indian Ocean, and retiring Tropical Cyclone 08P (Fehi) in the southwest Pacific Ocean, along with a tropical disturbance being referred to as Invest 95P

>>> 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:

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:

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: No active tropical cyclones