The latest update to this website was at 849am Saturday morning (HST)

 

Here are the highest temperatures Friday afternoon…and the lowest Saturday morning:

86 / 71  Lihue AP, Kauai
88 / 73  Honolulu AP, Oahu
85 / 72  Molokai AP, Molokai
87 / 69  Kahului AP, Maui
86 / 75  Kona AP, Big Island
84 / 70  Hilo AP, Big Island

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

0.22  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.40  Tunnel RG, Oahu
0.11  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.04  Lanai City, Lanai
0.40  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.36  Papaikou Well, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Saturday morning:

12  Puu Lua, Kauai
21  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
21  Molokai AP, Molokai
20  Lanai 1, Lanai
16  Kapalua, Maui
18  Kealakomo, Big Island

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

 

https://weather.gc.ca/data/satellite/goes_gwdisk11_1070_100.jpg

Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/tpw/13/GOES17-TPW-13-900x540.gif 

 Thunderstorms south
(click for larger version)


https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES17/ABI/SECTOR/hi/GEOCOLOR/GOES17-HI-GEOCOLOR-600x600.gif

Variable clouds across the state

 

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 wind flow…high Cirrus clouds arriving from the west

 

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

Localized showers

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Kauai_VIS_loop.gif

Kauai and Oahu (Satellite)

 

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

Kauai and Oahu (Radar)

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Oahu-Maui_VIS_loop.gif

Oahu and Maui County (Satellite)

 

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

Oahu and Maui County (Radar)

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Hawaii_VIS_loop.gif

 Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and the Big Island (Satellite)

 

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

Maui County and the Big Island (Radar)

 

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

Big Island (Radar)

 

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

 

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

Please open this link to see details on any current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/graphics/pmsl.gif

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Glenn’s Saturday comments:  I’m home here in upper Kula, Maui, I hope you have a great Saturday wherever you happen to be spending it.

504am, it’s mostly clear early this morning…the low temperature here at my Kula weather tower was 52.5 degrees.

607am, the high Cirrus clouds lit up a very pretty pink at sunrise!

808am, it’s partly cloudy, although with still lots of sunshine around. This morning I took an abbreviated walk, in distance, as I’ll be taking the drive over to Haiku, to meet with my friends there, for several games of Pickleball…which I always enjoy. I’ll stop off in Paia to do my weekly shopping at Mana Food, there on Baldwin Ave…on my way back here to upper Kula.

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview:  Light to locally moderate trade winds are expected through Sunday, bringing a few showers to windward areas. Afternoon sea breezes will bring clouds and showers to leeward and interior areas.

A low aloft will destabilize the island atmosphere, bringing the potential for some locally heavy showers and a slight chance for thunderstorms mainly over the Big Island slopes and the coastal waters through Sunday. Expect stronger trade winds to return next week, along with more stable conditions.

Hawaii’s Weather Details:  A weak high north of the state will generate gentle to moderate trade winds for the next couple of days. Satellite and radar imagery shows some enhanced low level cumulus clouds riding in with the moderate trade winds.

Rain rates typically range from 0.5- 1 inch per hour. Rainfall totals were highest for some of the wetter regions of the windward locations with totals up to .40 of inch. Some leeward locations of the smaller islands also received some rain, generally less than .10 of inch. In addition some thin high clouds are moving over the state from the west.

An upper level low north of Kauai will shift south today, and settle over the central island chain by Sunday. As a result, the atmosphere will become more unstable as the day progresses, increasing inversion heights. The increased inversion heights will allow for taller clouds and locally heavier showers.

Afternoon sea breezes are expected along select leeward areas due to light trade wind flow. By Saturday night upper level temperatures are expected to cool over the western half of the state, bringing a slight chance of thunderstorms near and around the islands along with localized heavy showers embedded in the tradewind flow.

Leeward locations will see a general decline in clouds and showers, but due to the elevated inversion levels may still see a stray showers, as clouds and showers move from east to west of the smaller islands.

Sunday, will likely see similar weather setup as Saturday, with the exception of a slightly larger area where thunderstorms could develop, including the upslope locations around Big Island during the afternoon. It is difficult to say where some of the heavier showers will be the next couple of days, but the more likely areas will be over leeward areas during the afternoon and evening periods, and over windward areas during the overnight and morning hours.

Overall though, due to the limited moisture (precipitable water values around 1.2 to 1.5 inches) shower activity is not expected to be widespread. Many people may see fair weather this weekend, however don’t be surprised if you see some thunderstorms offshore or even an isolated heavy shower overhead.

Latest model trends show trade winds may begin to gradually increase as early as Sunday into early next week, as a new high pressure system to the distant northwest builds eastward. Stability will also increase as the low aloft weakens and moves away to the northeast.

Some instability may linger through Monday, but generally more stable, trade wind conditions should return by Tuesday and persist through much of next week, with clouds and showers mainly focused along windward and mountain areas.

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 / Vog map animation

Hawaii’s Marine Environment:  A high northeast of the state will continue to weaken and drive gentle to moderate trade winds across local waters. An upper low will drop down over the islands, creating enough instability to generate isolated thunderstorms for areas mainly west of Oahu tonight into Sunday.

Expect trade winds to gradually strengthen Sunday into the first half of next week, as high pressure builds north of the state. Winds could potentially reach Small Craft Advisory levels across the windier waters and channels around Maui County and the Big Island by next week, and last through at least mid-week.

A pair of overlapping small north swells should maintain small surf across north facing shores through this weekend. A short lived small northeast swell is expected tonight through Sunday. This will also give east facing shores a slight bump on Sunday.

There is the potential for a moderate long period north-northwest swell as early as Sunday, which would peak Monday, below advisory levels for north facing shores. This swell could linger through the middle of next week as it slowly fades.

A moderate south swell is expected to slowly fill in, peak Sunday and hold into Monday, before gradually declining through the middle of next week. This swell may boost surf along south facing shores to near or slightly below advisory levels during its peak.

 

                           sunset beach walk - Picture of The West Inn Kauai - Tripadvisor

 

 

World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 

Atlantic Ocean: 

Tropical Cyclone 12L (Kirk)…located about 1525 miles west-southwest of the Azores

MAJOR HURRICANE KIRK TURNING MORE NORTHWARD…LARGE SWELLS FROM KIRK EXPECTED TO REACH THE U.S. EAST COAST BY SUNDAY

According to the NHC Advisory number 25

Kirk is moving toward the north near 16 mph and this motion is expected to continue through tonight. A faster northeastward motion is expected on Sunday and Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph with higher gusts. Kirk is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Weakening is forecast through early next week, but Kirk will remain a large hurricane for the next couple of days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles.

cone graphic

Tropical Cyclone 13L (Leslie)…located about 785 miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands

LESLIE MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD

According to the NHC Advisory number 13

Leslie is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue today. A northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is forecast to begin by tonight and continue through Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is possible through tonight. A gradual weakening trend is forecast to begin on Sunday. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.

cone graphic

>>> Far Eastern Tropical Atlantic:

A tropical wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa on Monday or Tuesday. Some development of this system is possible thereafter while it moves westward or west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic. The system is expected to move near or over the Cabo Verde Islands on Wednesday and Thursday, and interests there should monitor its progress.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent

Caribbean Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclone

Gulf of Mexico:

Tropical Cyclone 14L…located about 350 miles west of Progreso, Mexico

TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO…FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN AND BRING THE RISK OF LIFE-THREATENING IMPACTS TO PORTIONS OF THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA NEXT WEEK

According to the NHC Advisory number 1

The depression is moving toward the north-northeast near 3 mph. A slow northeastward or east-northeastward motion is expected during the next day or so. A faster east-northeastward to northeastward motion is forecast by Monday and Tuesday. On the forecast track, the depression is forecast to remain over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night, then move across the south-central Gulf of Mexico on Monday and Tuesday, and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Rapid strengthening is forecast during the next few days. The depression is forecast to become a tropical storm later today and a hurricane by early Monday. The system could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico.

cone graphic

 

Northeastern Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclone

>>> Offshore of Southwestern Mexico:

A trough of low pressure offshore of the coast of southwestern Mexico is producing limited shower activity. Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system during the next several days, and a tropical depression could form by the middle of next week while the system moves slowly northwestward, roughly parallel to the coast of southwestern Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent

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

North Central Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Southwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

North and South Indian Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

Arabian Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

>>> Here’s a link to the Pacific Disaster Center’s (PDC Global) Weather Wall website

 

Interesting:  Antarctic ‘Greening’ at Dramatic Rate

Vegetation cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last four decades, new research shows.

The Antarctic Peninsula, like many polar regions, is warming faster than the global average, with extreme heat events in Antarctica becoming more common.

The new study – by the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire, and the British Antarctic Survey – used satellite data to assess how much the Antarctic Peninsula has been “greening” in response to climate change.

It found that the area of vegetation cover across the Peninsula increased from less than one square kilometer in 1986 to almost 12 square kilometres by 2021.

Read More: University of Exeter