Waterspout in Hawaiian Waters, March 16, 2002

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

SUMMARY...A COLD FRONT ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF OAHU AT 4 PM IS
MOVING SOUTHEAST ABOUT 15 MPH. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE BREAKING OUT ON THE ISLANDS...WHILE
BEHIND IT SHOWERS PERSIST FOR SOME DISTANCE ALONG NORTHFACING SLOPES
AND OVER THE MOUNTAINS. COOLER AIR ON NORTHERLY WINDS IS FUNNELING
IN BEHIND THE FRONT. THE FRONT APPEARS TO BE WEAKENING AT THIS
TIME.

DISCUSSION...A COLD FRONT IS MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD OAHU AT
ABOUT 15 KT THIS AFTERNOON TO LIKELY ARRIVE NEAR KAENA POINT SHORTLY
AFTER 4 PM AND CLEAR HAWAII KAI AROUND 6 PM.  FROM OAHU THE FRONT
WILL WORK ITS WAY FARTHER DOWN THE CHAIN. THE FRONT APPEARS TO BE
WEAKENING AND BREAKING APART AS IT CROSSES THE ISLAND TERRAIN.

AHEAD OF THE FRONT CONVECTIVE SHOWERS HAVE BEEN OCCURING ON ALL
ISLANDS WITH OAHU GETTING THE LIONS SHARE OF THE RAINFALL. THESE
SHOWERS HAVE BEEN JUMPING AROUND WITH NEW CELLS POPPING UP WHERE
THERE STILL WAS SOME HEAT IN THE GROUND THUS TENDING TO SPREAD THE
RAIN AROUND MORE EVENLY. PRESENTLY A HEAVY SHOWER IS ALSO LOCATED
NOT FAR FROM THE MOLOKAI RADAR SITE WITH A SMATTERING OF SMALLER
CELLS ON MAUI AND BIG ISLAND ALSO.

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 CALIFORNIA AROUND
MIDWEEK.

ROSENDAL

.HFO...WARNINGS.....NONE
.      WATCHES......NONE
.      ADVISORIES...FLOOD STATEMENT OAHU