Hawaiian Islands Satellite Interpretation Message

Hawaiian Islands Satellite Interpretation Message
Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:30:00 -0600

Based on data through 0000 UTC January 31 2011.

A cold front is moving across the main Hawaiian islands this afternoon. The front and a prefrontal cloud band merged over Kauai this morning before passing over Oahu early this afternoon, and as of 0000 UTC, the leading edge of the front, which is moving to the east southeast at 25 mph, has moved east of Oahu into the Kaiwi Channel. The front runs along 30°N 152°W, 26°N 154°W, and 24°N 156°W as a 100 mile-wide band of broken to overcast layered clouds with isolated, embedded thunderstorms rising as high as 35000 ft. The front continues to the southwest to 18°N 162°W as a band of broken to overcast cumulus clouds.

Although the greatest instability associated with the front is currently well north of the state, isolated towering cumulus cells rising to 27000 ft are observed across the northern edge of the coastal waters north of Oahu. Instability is being generated by a digging upper level trough driving the front. The upper trough axis extends from 30°N 157°W to 26°N 158°W to 23°N 161°W and is moving to the east southeast at 40 mph.

Cloud cover varies considerably across the main Hawaiian islands. Broken to overcast low clouds associated with the front cover Oahu and the western half of Molokai, while few to scattered low clouds are observed over Kauai in the wake of the front. On Maui, broken low clouds are limited to the slopes of Haleakala, and broken to overcast, sea-breeze driven low clouds cover most over the lower slopes of the Big Island below 7000 ft. In addition, a 100 mile-wide prefrontal cloud band runs from just off the Puna coast at 19°N 154°W to 29°N 151°W.

Stable conditions are found on Midway atoll. Based on low cloud motions, it appears that a surface high following the front is located about 250 miles east of the island.

Elsewhere, an elongated, nearly stationary upper level low is centered about 950 miles east southeast of the Big Island near 15°N 142°W. Isolated thunderstorms rise to 37000 ft directly under the center.

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DWROE

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