Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / May 7-8, 2018

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

78 – 72  Lihue, Kauai
80 – 73  Honolulu, Oahu
75 – 69  Molokai AP
74 – 68  Kahului AP, Maui
86 – 74  Kailua Kona
77 – 71  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

0.94  Kilohana, Kauai
2.65  Tunnel RG, Oahu
1.06  Molokai
0.17  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
4.01  West Wailuaiki, Maui
4.61  Honokaa, Big Island

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

30  Port Allen, Kauai
37  Kuaokala, Oahu
29  Molokai
35  Lanai
29  Kahoolawe
30  Kapalua, Maui
37  Kohala Ranch, 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 low north-northeast, with associated minor cloud bands dropping south

High clouds moving over the state from the southwest

Partly to mostly cloudy skies…a few clear areas

Showers locally…especially around Oahu, Molokai, Maui and the Big Island
Looping image

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Small Craft Advisory…a large number of coast and channels waters across the state

High Surf Advisory…for north facing shores

 

Broad Brush Overview: The long lasting windward showers will continue through mid-week over the eastern islands, as the remnant moisture from a retiring cold front stalls and dissipates…in the vicinity of the Big Island. Drier and more stable conditions, along with stronger trades will prevail over the other islands. Meanwhile, a second band of clouds, associated with an old frontal boundary has dropped southward over the state, bringing with it a slight increase in showers over the windward sections of the smaller islands. Drier conditions will follow in its wake, with lighter trades along with an increase in shower activity possible Wednesday through Friday.

Details: Satellite imagery showed a band of low clouds, associated with an old frontal boundary draped over the Big Island. A second band of low clouds, associated with another old frontal boundary has shifted southward over portions of the smaller islands as well. Although much lower moisture is available over the western end of the state, a slight increase in cloud and shower coverage will remain possible…due to this second cloud band’s arrival.

The models show the old frontal boundary stalling in the vicinity of the Big Island. This moisture axis will support the best rainfall chances over windward Big Island and Maui over the next several days. A ridge aloft is pushing in from the southeast, and should keep the island atmosphere on the stable side, thus heavy rainfall isn’t expected. The showers associated with the low clouds impacting the smaller islands will likely dissipate tonight through Tuesday.

Looking Ahead: As we move into the Wednesday through Friday time frame, the models support increasing rainfall moving back over the state, as an upper trough begins to influence our local weather picture. A surface trough developing in response to the upper feature will further enhance this wetter trend…along with lighter winds. After the upper trough of low pressure exits the area to the northeast, a more typical trade wind weather pattern is expected for the upcoming weekend into early next week.

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: An eastward moving surface high will be passing north of the islands. This will result in strengthening trade winds, which has warranted a Small Craft Advisory (SCA). Initially, it is for waters around Maui and south of the Big Island. Above normal seas due to a large north swell will expand the SCA tonight into Tuesday. Both the swell and winds will be diminishing to below SCA criteria by Wednesday night.

A series of north and north-northwest swells will reach our north facing shores over the next few days. The rest of this new work week will have a series of smaller swells from the northwest to north-northwest.

Strengthening trades will result in choppy waters, and a rise in surf along the east facing shores for a couple of days…through mid-week. The south facing shores will continue to have small surf.

The development of a low level trough over the islands during the second half of the week will alter the low level winds, resulting in a moist trade wind flow.

 

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

Here’s the latest Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) Weather Wall Presentation…covering a tropical disturbance being referred to as Invest 97W in the western Pacific Ocean

>>> 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

>>> North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: No active tropical cyclones

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


Interesting: Hawaii eruption: ‘Not the time for sightseeing’ in lava-hit neighborhood – Hawaiian authorities are urging sightseers to stay away as Leilani Estates residents return to check on their neighborhood, which is threatened by lava and toxic gases emerging from fissures in the subdivision.

Here’s a youtube video showing the situation

Big Island’s Kilauea volcano erupted Thursday, spewing molten rock and high levels of sulfur dioxide. Cracks emerged in the volcano’s East Rift Zone — an area of fissures miles away from the volcano’s summit. All residents of Leilani Estates, a community of about 1,700 people near Big Island’s eastern edge, and nearby Lanipuna Gardens were ordered to evacuate. The eruption was followed by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake Friday.

As of Sunday, 10 fissures had opened and 26 homes had been destroyed. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said that active venting of lava and hazardous fumes continued.

The Kilauea volcano has been erupting almost continuously since 1983, according to the US Geological Survey. Activity along the East Rift Zone has shifted down and then back up the rift, said CNN meteorologist Michael Guy. Each one of the episodes that has occurred in this 35-year period has lasted months to years, so there’s no definitive way to predict how the volcanic activity will last, Guy said.

Some Leilani Estates residents were able to return to their properties from Sunday to retrieve pets, medicine and vital documents.

Sunday evening, Civil Defense said Leilani residents would be able to check on their properties until further notice between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, with authorities on the scene determining which areas were safe to enter.

“Please be aware that because of unstable conditions that involve toxic gas, earthquakes and lava activities, lines of safety can change at any time. You must be prepared to leave areas if required,” it said in a statement.

Volcanic gases at Lanipuna Gardens meant residents did not have access to that neighborhood, it said.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family from the extremely dangerous volcanic gases is to leave the immediate area of the volcano defined by the police and fire department,” it said.

Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator Talmadge Magno told CNN affiliate KHON Saturday that some first responders had been affected by the gasses on the first night when levels were particularly high — experiencing “headaches and so forth” — but that they had recovered.

The American Red Cross has opened two shelters at the Pahoa and Keaau Community Centers, where some evacuees have gathered while they await news about their homes.

Mayor Harry Lim said on Twitter Sunday that an eruption information center would open in Pahoa Monday to address questions from those affected.

The Hawaii State Department of Education said that all public schools on Big Island would be open Monday but that students absent due to evacuations would not be penalized. It said in a statement that school buildings had been checked for earthquake damage and found to be safe.

Corey Hale is one of the residents staying at the Pahoa Community Center. She was originally staying with a friend, but later chose to camp out in the parking lot.

“I wanted to be around a lot of people,” Hale said. “It just felt better.” Volunteers there have kept evacuees safe, well-fed and have plenty of hot coffee ready in the mornings.

Still, Hale wishes she’d been able to get more things from her home in Lanipuna Gardens before she left, like a compass that belonged to her great-grandfather, and other family heirlooms.

“At this point, I’ve got what I’ve got on my back,” she said. “I didn’t realize until this morning, I’ve got one pair of shoes.” Meantime, Leilani resident Shirley Doctor was able to return briefly to her house of 38 years Sunday.

Doctor told CNN affiliate KITV that her sons had invited friends to help her pack up. “I came home to get my dogs, that was the most important thing. My dogs and my pig … Everything else is just material,” Doctor said.

This time she was ready. She had bags packed with her clothes, important documents and whatever her dogs would need. The only other item she took was a chain necklace that belonged to her late father.

“I’ve always said that’s the only thing I would run back into a burning building for, barring people and animals,” she said. “There wasn’t anything that important.”