ATHW40 PHFO 120530
SIMHI
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SATELLITE INTERPRETATION MESSAGE
NWS CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER HONOLULU HI
0530 UTC MON MAY 12 2008
BASED ON DATA THROUGH 0500 UTC MAY 12 2008
Cloud cover across Hawaiian waters is generally scattered. however, patches of broken low clouds lie over and just east of the Big Island, extending to 150°W south of 20°N. The smaller islands have scattered to locally broken low clouds, favoring windward and mauka areas, with little precipitation noted on radar. Cloud cover across the Big Island is more widespread than across the smaller islands, with broken to overcast low clouds noted across windward slopes southward through Puna district. Broken to overcast low clouds also cover Kau slopes and slopes on the Kona side from Milolii through Kailua-Kona. Leeward Kohala, the Kilauea Volcano area and elevations above 7000 feet have scattered low clouds to clear skies.
Satellite loops show low clouds are moving across Hawaiian waters generally towards the west at 20 mph. Low clouds just southwest of the Big Island are moving towards the west at 20 to 25 mph. A broad anticyclonic low level circulation is noted along an axis extending through 33°N 140°W, 26°N 160°W and 26°N 180°, north of the main Hawaiian Islands. This low level circulation, marking the subtropical ridge, lies beneath an elongated east northeast to west southwest upper trough noted in water vapor loops.
A 600 mile wide band of overcast layered clouds north and west of a line from 40°N 140°W to 40°N 150°W to 33°N 160°W to 31°N 170°W to 35°N 180° marks a frontal boundary far north of the main Hawaiian Islands. Movement is towards the east at 25 to 30 mph.
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POWELL
