Category: Postcard from Hawai’i

Hurricane Week is Over

Well? We have survived Hurricane Week, two hurricanes brushing past the island. Other than a bit of rain and shattered schedules we are just fine. Madeline caused some power outages and dumped a good deal of rain on the windward side. Lester turned north and did not impact the island to any significant degree other than high surf.

Here in Waikoloa we got some wind and no rain from Madeline, and a touch of rain from the water vapor left behind by Lester. Mostly it has just been muggy and hot here on the leeward side.

Plumeria
A photo of our plumeria processed by Prisma

Next Up? Hurricane Lester

Hurricane Madeline has come and gone. Other than some flooding, a few power outages, and minor damage here and there, Madeline failed to leave much of an impact on the Big Island. Indeed, satellite imagery loops show the storm coming apart as it interacted with the island and the big mauna. At the house there was some wind, no rain, just a very warm and muggy afternoon and night.

Next up is Hurricane Lester, due to brush the northern side of the island on Saturday…

GOES West 20160901
Hurricane Lester approaching the Hawaiian Islands on September 1, 2016. GOES West color image.

Madeline Arrives

So far is is just windy.

As the first part of the storm pushes ashore on the other side of the island all we are getting is wind. Gusty conditions prevail from Waimea to Waikoloa, about what we would get on a bad day of trade winds. It is enough to bump your car around the road a bit, with gusts around 45mph.

Keck closed up HQ at noon today, sending everyone home. Observing was cancelled last night and is cancelled again tonight. A few support guys went to the summit this morning, checked everything, then left.

While Madeline has been downgraded to a tropical storm, Lester remains a strong hurricane. I am a little more worried about the weather Lester will bring on Saturday.

Hurricane Afternoon
The view from Waimea towards Mauna Kea as Madeline pushes ashore. The cloud bands are just visible as the high clouds on the left.