Heavy Rain in Hawaii, March 16, 2002

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST SAT MAR 16 2002

SUMMARY...A COLD FRONT ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF KAUAI AT 10
OCLOCK THIS MORNING IS MOVING SOUTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH. THIS FRONT
WILL BRING CLOUDS AND SHOWERS FIRST TO KAUAI AROUND NOON AND LATER
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING TO OAHU...AND SO ON DOWN THE CHAIN. SOME
ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL ALSO OCCUR AHEAD OF THE FRONT.  COOL NORTHERLY
WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BRING A CHILL TO THE AIR OVER THE NEXT
FEW DAYS.

DISCUSSION...A COLD FRONT IS MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD KAUAI AT
ABOUT 10 KT THIS FORENOON TO LIKELY ARRIVE THERE SHORTLY AFTER
NOON. FROM KAUAI THE FRONT WILL WORK ITS WAY DOWN THE CHAIN. THERE
SHOULD BE NO STOPPING IT AS WE SEE GOOD CYCLOGENESIS TO THE EAST OF
THE STATE TO KEEP IT MOVING THOUGH IT MAY SLOW ITS FORWARD PROGRESS
A TAD AS IT GETS TO THE BIG ISLAND.

AHEAD OF THE FRONT SOME PATCHES OF SHOWER CLOUDS ARE PRESENT. AMONG
THE LARGER ONES OF THESE PATCHES...ONE IS LOCATED OVER THE KAU
SHORELINE AND ANOTHER ONE OFF THE KONA COAST. THIS LATTER AREA OF
SHOWERS BROUGHT 1.53 INCHES OF RAIN TO KAILUA-KONA AIRPORT DURING
THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE PATCHES NEAR THE BIG ISLAND ARE
DRIFTING TOWARD THE NNW WHILE OTHER SMALLER PATCHES NEAR THE WESTERN
ISLANDS ARE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTH AFTER EARLIER HAVING BEEN MOVING
NORTHWARD.

THE AIR MASS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT IS RATHER CHILLY WITH THE
TEMPERATURE DROPPING ABOUT 5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IN SHORT ORDER AFTER
FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS...TOGETHER  WITH WINDINESS AND CLOUDS AND RAW
RAIN SHOWERS WILL MAKE FOR POOR BEACH WEATHER. THE CHILLY WINDS
GUSTING TO NEAR 30 MPH WILL BE WITH US FOR SEVERAL DAYS AS THE LOW
PRESSURE AREA DEEPENS NEARBY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS BEFORE
FINALLY MOVING OFF TOWARD THE NORTHEAST TOWARD CALOIFORNIA AROUND
MIDWEEK.

ROSENDAL

.HFO...WARNINGS.....NONE
.      WATCHES......NONE
.      ADVISORIES...NONE