Temperature difference between Hawaiian Islands

[Al in Kona]

A sheer line from a frontal system moving down from the northwest brought rain and much cooler temperatures to the northern and western most islands (Kauai & Oahu) of Hawaii the past two days and seems to have stalled over the island of Maui never quite reaching the Big Island (Hawaii Island, the southeastern most island). This resulted in a wide range of high temperatures today and will likely continue tomorrow if the weather forecast holds true as this system is now forecast to move westward returning to Oahu and Kauai with more rain and cool temperatures. Today (Tuesday January 27) the high temperature in Honolulu was 71 F while in Kona it was 82 F, a difference of 11 degrees. It is not all that uncommon for some of these winter storms to miss the Big Island all together or veer off to the northeast just before it reaches us, leaving us high, dry, sunny and bright.

[MattyB]

That's interesting Al. Especially about the cold front stalling out and then reversing it's course.

[The Palm Nut]

Hi Al,

Last winter while offshore fishing, a weather phenomenon occured, quite common but impossible to observed it this way on land. The weather report was that a cold front was to hit the mid north coast sometime late morning, it was early afternoon when it hit. The surface water went from smooth glass looking to strong ripples, it was time to head in. We hadnt travelled more than a few hundred yards and the water was smooth glass again so we stopped to wait for the front to catchup. We did this for a few times till I remembered that I had my binoculars in the boat, being able to look some miles back I could see white caps in the distance we headed in. This experience gave me a whole new way of looking at highs and lows.

Cheers

Mike