Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / March 24-25, 2018

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

75 – 67  Lihue, Kauai
74 – 68  Honolulu, Oahu
73 – 68  Molokai AP
74 – 68  Kahului AP, Maui
77 – 71  Kailua Kona
78 – 71  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

1.69  N Wailua Ditch, Kauai
7.79  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
1.23  Molokai
2.22  Lanai
1.48  Kahoolawe
1.78  Hana AP, Maui
1.99  Manuna Loa Obs Stn, Big Island

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

14  Port Allen, Kauai
17  Wheeler AAF, Oahu
13  Molokai
16  Lanai
06  Kahoolawe
10  Kula 1, Maui
15  Nene Cabin, 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

High pressure north-northeast, low pressure systems northwest and far northeast…which will keep our trade winds blowing temporarily

A large swath of clouds is moving through the state…thunderstorms offshore

Partly to mostly cloudy…clearing from the west

Showers over the Big Island…followed by clearing
Looping image

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

High Wind Warning…Big Island summits / 55-80 mph+

Broad Brush Overview: A period of unsettled weather is influencing the islands now, as an area of low pressure is moving through the state…bringing showers eastward across chain. These showers, some which will be locally heavy, will move into Maui and Hawaii Counties, resulting in periods of heavy rain and a few thunderstorms. Drier air will move into Kauai and Oahu, with improving conditions in the wake of this low pressure disturbance…pushing across the rest of the state Sunday. Wind speeds will become light, with land and sea breezes for the first half of next week. Trade winds will likely return, with scattered windward and mountains showers arriving by Thursday into next weekend.

Details: A robust high pressure center north-northeast of the islands, with a low to the north-northwest, and a subtropical jet stream are combining their efforts, bringing an area of high and middle level clouds over the state. Meanwhile, an eastward moving upper level disturbance will produce moderate to heavy showers across the state. Deep moisture and instability will produce widespread showers across much of the state. A few thunderstorms will develop…with the potential for isolated severe storms possible locally. Satellite imagery along with the models, continue showing drier air moving into Kauai and Oahu first, with decreasing showers with time. This improving weather trend should reach Maui County thereafter, and Hawaii County by early Sunday morning.

Looking Ahead:  This low pressure system will drift northward starting Monday, as the high pressure system well north-northeast drifts eastward away from the islands. This changing pattern will curtail our trade wind flow, with lighter winds allowing a land and sea breeze regime to take over across the island chain. Generally drier weather conditions are expected, at least compared to the current wet conditions. Look for onshore sea breezes each afternoon, prompting upcountry clouds and a few showers over the islands. Overnight offshore land breezes will clear out most of this cloud cover into the morning hours. A weak high pressure ridge develops over the state later next week, with a return to light trade winds …along with the usual scattered windward and mountain showers.

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: The nearshore buoys show that the current northeast swell continues to slowly decline, with surf along east facing shores expected to remain below High Surf Advisory levels. This will continue to subside this weekend, and no other significant swells are expected through the middle of next week. A modest north-northeast swell is expected late tonight through Monday. A small northwest swell is also expected Sunday night through Tuesday, followed by another small northwest swell during the middle of next week. Small south-southwest and southwest swells are also expected to continue through the next several days.

Even though winds and seas are expected to remain generally below Small Craft Advisory (SCA) levels today and tonight, mariners should be aware of the threat of inclement weather, with locally strong winds and high seas due to possible thunderstorms.

A weak area of low pressure is expected to move across the central and eastern parts of the state later today and tonight. Ahead of and with this low, widespread rain will continue, with a chance of thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall. Once this low departs to the north of the state, expect gentle mainly southwest to west winds across the waters Sunday through Monday, followed by light and variable winds transitioning into light trade winds by the middle of next week.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

Here’s the latest Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) Weather Wall Presentation covering Tropical Cyclone 17P (Iris)…and Tropical Cyclone 03W (Jelawat)

>>> 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:

Tropical Cyclone 03W (Jelawat)

JTWC textual forecast warning
JTWC graphical track map
NOAA satellite image