Trade winds will remain strong and gusty, more so than normal, continuing through the rest of this week, passing windward showers at times…a few spreading over into the leeward sides at times
PDC Global Hazards Atlas displaying cloud cover and 3 hour precipitation accumulation...over and around the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Weather Synopsis: The trade winds continue to be the main player in our Hawaiian Island weather picture, although very close behind in importance…will be the frequently passing showers along our windward sides from Oahu down through Maui County and the Big Island. As markers, we can use strong trade winds gusting up into the upper 40 mph range in a few places…and over 5.00-6.00″ of rain in those wettest spots. At upper elevations on the Big Island, we have a wintery mix of weather too, with off and on snow falling – Mauna Kea webcam…if its not too foggy to see.
Showers have been most active along our windward coasts and slopes, although have managed to be carried over into the leeward sides on the smaller islands at times too. Kauai, at least at this hour, is outside of the most vigorous shower field, which seems to be most concentrated over Oahu down to Maui County and the Big Island. This looping radar image shows these showers very well, and as has been the case over the last several days, especially to the south and southeast of the Big Island. The low pressure ares near and around the Big Island now, will keep more than the ordinary amount of showers falling in the eastern part of the state…locally heavy too.
In the wind department, our winds have been strong, are strong, and will remain that way likely through the rest of this week…at least. The computer models are suggesting that perhaps we’d have a slight easing up during the last couple of days of this work week, before they take right off again during the upcoming Christmas weekend. High pressure remains planted to the northeast of the islands now, which is the source of our blustery winds. All this air in a hurry is roughing-up our local ocean surface, and generating higher than normal waves along our east shores, thus the high surf advisory flags flapping in the strong winds there…which will likely continue for several more days at least.
Click on the following link for the latest National Weather Service advisories and warnings: Wind/Surf/Flood related advisories or warnings
Details of Hawaii’s Weather – Wind/Precipitation/Surf
As this weather map shows…we have several high pressure systems located far to the northeast of the Hawaiian Islands Tuesday afternoon. The southern most high pressure system has a ridge that runs southwest from its center, into the area north and northwest of the state. At the same time we find a surface trough of low pressure to the south-southeast of the Big Island, which is helping to enhance the strength of our local trade wind speeds. These trade winds are expected to continue through the rest of this week…at least.
The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph), along with directions early Tuesday afternoon:
31 Lihue, Kauai – NE
35 Waianae Valley, Oahu – ESE
42 Molokai – NE
42 Kahoolawe – E
37 Kahului, Maui – NE
47 Lanai – NE
36 PTA Kipuka Alala, Big Island – NE
We can use the following links to see what’s going on in our area of the north central Pacific Ocean Tuesday afternoon.Looking at this NOAA satellite picture we find that the high and middle level clouds are located just to the south through southeast and east of the islands at this hour. We can use this looping satellite image to see lots of towering cumulus and thunderstorms developing to the south and east over the ocean, associated with a counter-clockwise rotating upper level low pressure system…to the south of the islands. Checking out this looping radar image we see showers over the ocean, most of which are light to moderately heavy, although some are heavier coming in over the islands…most notably from Oahu down through Maui to the Big Island.
Here are the 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of late Tuesday morning:
1.36 Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.44 Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.10 Molokai
0.00 Lanai
0.02 Kahoolawe
3.92 Puu Kukui, Maui
6.42 Pua Akala, Big Island
Here is the latest NWS rainfall forecast
Here are the latest available satellite images:
Hawaii Infrared satellite image
Animated Satellite image of Hawaii region
Latest satellite image – Close-in visible satellite view
Latest radar image – Looping
SURF OUTLOOK: The north shores will gradually rise Tuesday, remaining active Wednesday. The west sides will be gradually rising Tuesday, continuing into Wednesday. Surf along the east shores will remain rough and choppy Tuesday and Wednesday…as the strong trade winds continue. South shores will be very small to flat through mid-week.
North shores – Small to lower medium northwest swells will keep waves breaking through most of this week…choppy ocean conditions continuing.
West shores – The northwest swell will keep these beaches active, although smaller than the north shores as usual.
South shores – Surf will remain very small to flat on these leeward shores
East shores – Wind swell continues, becoming larger around mid-week, then backing down some by the weekend.
