 Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 1,500 mi (2,400 km) in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawai ʻi.
 A NASA satellite image of the Hawaiian Islands taken from space. Click on the image for a larger view that shows the main islands and the extended archipelago. The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an archipelago of nineteen islands and atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts trending northwest by southeast in the North Pacific Ocean between latitudes 19° N and 29° N. The archipelago takes its name from the largest island in the group and extends some 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from the Island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Excluding Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, the Hawaiian Islands form the U.S. State of Hawaii. Image File history File links Hawaiianislandchain_USGS.png Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanoes that stretches about 2,700km in a northwestern direction from the Island of Hawaii (Big Island). ...
Image File history File links Hawaiianislandchain_USGS.png Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanoes that stretches about 2,700km in a northwestern direction from the Island of Hawaii (Big Island). ...
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3320x1572, 165 KB)This file was cropped from the original NASA tif[1] then saved losslessly without any other modification. ...
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3320x1572, 165 KB)This file was cropped from the original NASA tif[1] then saved losslessly without any other modification. ...
The Sandwich Islands was the name given to Hawaii by Captain James Cook on his discovery of the islands on January 18, 1778. ...
The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ...
Portion of a Pacific atoll showing two islets on the ribbon or barrier reef separated by a deep pass between the ocean and the lagoon. ...
MÅkÅlea Rock in Kailua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, 2. ...
A seamount is a mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the waters surface (sea level), and thus is not an island. ...
“Miles†redirects here. ...
“km†redirects here. ...
The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
Satellite image of Kure Atoll Kure Atoll or Ocean Island (Hawaiian: KÄnemiloha‘i) lies some 55 miles beyond Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at . ...
Orthographic projection centred over Midway. ...
For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...
This article is about the U.S. State. ...
This archipelago represents the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the earth's mantle. At about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on Earth.[1] The Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain is composed of the Hawaiian Ridge and the Emperor Seamounts, a vast underwater mountain region beneath the northern Pacific Ocean that stretches over 3,600 miles from the Aleutian Trench in the far northwest Pacific to Lo‘ihi seamount southeast of the Island of Hawai...
Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska photographed from the International Space Station For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ...
In geology, a hotspot is a location on the Earths surface that has experienced active volcanism for a long period of time. ...
This article is about Earth as a planet. ...
Islands and reefs
 Photograph of the Hawaiian Islands from Space Shuttle Discovery, looking southeast by south. Kaua ʻi is closest at bottom right The Hawaiian Islands comprise a total of 137 islands and atolls, with a total land area of 6,423.4 square miles (16,636.5 km²). Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as the State of Hawaii — the 50th state of the United States of America. http://antwrp. ...
http://antwrp. ...
Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the three currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA, the space agency of the United States. ...
A small island in the Adriatic sea An island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock, that is completely surrounded by water. ...
Atoll in the western Pacific Ocean Photo: www. ...
A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...
Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ...
Orthographic projection centred over Midway. ...
An incorporated territory of the United States is a specific area under the jurisdiction of the United States, over which the United States Congress has determined that the United States Constitution is to be applied in its entirety, in the same manner as it applies to the individual U.S...
This article is about the U.S. State. ...
Main islands The eight main Hawaiian islands (also known as the Hawaiian Windward Islands) are listed here from East to West. All except Kahoʻolawe are inhabited. -
The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
For other uses, see Maui (disambiguation). ...
Kaho‘olawe is the smallest of the 8 main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. ...
LÄnaÊ»i (IPA: ) is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. ...
Molokaʻi as viewed from Kaʻanapali, Maui Molokaʻi (also Molokai) is the fifth largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago. ...
Oʻahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English), the Gathering Place, is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous island in the State of Hawaiʻi. ...
Kauai (Hawaiian IPA pron. ...
Niihau is the smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. State of Hawaiʻi, having an area of 179. ...
Smaller islands, atolls, reefs Smaller islands, atolls, and reefs (beyond Niʻihau and all uninhabited); called the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, or Hawaiian Leeward Islands: The Hawaiian island chain. ...
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Devils Slide The cliffs of Tanager Peak, looking east from Miller Peak. ...
On top of Mokumanamana Necker Island (Hawaiian: Mokumanamana) is a small island in the Pacific Ocean, 13 km (8 miles) north of the Tropic of Cancer, located at . ...
Map of French Frigate Shoals The French Frigate Shoals (Hawaiian: MokupÄpapa) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ...
The guano-coated Gardner Pinnacles The Gardner Pinnacles (Hawaiian: PÅ«hÄhonu) are two barren rock outcrops surrounded by a reef and located 946 km (588 miles) northwest of Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands at . ...
Maro Reef (Hawaiian: Nalukakala) is a largely submerged coral atoll located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ...
Laysan is in the middle of the leeward island chain. ...
View of Lisianski Island Lisianski Island (Hawaiian: Papa‘Äpoho) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with a land area of 1. ...
Landsat Satellite image of the atoll. ...
Orthographic projection centred over Midway. ...
Satellite image of Kure Atoll Kure Atoll or Ocean Island (Hawaiian: KÄnemiloha‘i) lies some 55 miles beyond Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at . ...
Islets
 3-D perspective view of the southeastern Hawaiian Islands shown in green, with the white summits of Mauna Loa (4,170 m/13,700 ft high) and Mauna Kea (4,206 m/13,800 ft high). The islands are the tops of massive volcanoes, most of whose bulks lie below the sea surface. Ocean depths are colored from violet (5,750 m/18,900 ft deep northeast of Maui) and indigo to light gray (shallowest). Historical lava flows are shown in red, erupting from the summits and rift zones of Mauna Loa, Kilauea, and Hualalai volcanoes on Hawaiʻi. Some information sources state that there are 137 "islands" in the Hawaiian chain. This number includes all minor islands and islets offshore of the main islands (listed above) and individual islets in each atoll. (Hawaiʻi state government, undated). Following is a list of islets and small offshore islands that make up the total count beyond 19: Download high resolution version (988x581, 299 KB)USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2809 [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Hawaiian Islands Categories: USGS images ...
Download high resolution version (988x581, 299 KB)USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2809 [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Hawaiian Islands Categories: USGS images ...
For other uses, see Mauna Loa (disambiguation). ...
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanoes which together form the island of Hawaii. ...
For other uses, see Maui (disambiguation). ...
KÄ«lauea is an active volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five shield volcanoes that together form the Island of Hawaii. ...
{{Mtnbox start|Name=HualÄlai|Photo=Hualalai from north. ...
This article is about the U.S. State. ...
MÅkÅlea Rock in Kailua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, 2. ...
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For other uses, see Ford Island (disambiguation). ...
Lehua is a small, crescent-shaped island only 0. ...
Kaula Island Kaula is a small, crescent-shaped offshore islet in the Hawaiian Islands in the state of Hawaii, about 20 miles to the west-southwest of Niihau. ...
Makapu‘u Beach and Waimanalo Bay beyond seen from the highway overlook at Makapu‘u Makapuu is the extreme eastern end of the Island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands, comprising the remnant of a ridge that rises 647 feet (197 meters) above the sea. ...
For other uses, including the Swiss band, see Mañana (disambiguation). ...
MÅkÅlea Rock in Kailua Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 2. ...
NÄ Mokulua as seen from Lanikai Beach at dawn NÄ Mokulua are two islets off the windward coast of O‘ahu in the Hawaiian Islands. ...
Molokini is a volcanic crater south of the island of Maui, Hawaii and part of Maui County. ...
Approaching Mokolii Mokolii is a 12. ...
Moku manu from the air Moku Manu, or Bird Island in the Hawaiian language, is an offshore islet of Oahu, three-quarters of a mile off of Mokapu peninsula. ...
Geology -
Main article: Hawaii hotspot The chain of islands or archipelago formed as the Pacific plate moved slowly northwestward over a hotspot in the Earth's mantle at about 32 miles (51 km) per million years. Hence the islands in the northwest of the archipelago are older and typically smaller, due to longer exposure to erosion. The only active volcanism in the last 200 years has been on the southeastern island, Hawaiʻi, and on the submerged but growing volcano at the extreme southeast, Loihi. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the U. S. Geological Survey documents recent volcanic activity and provides images and interpretations of the volcanism. The Hawaii hotspot is marked 12 on map. ...
The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ...
In geology, a hotspot is a location on the Earths surface that has experienced active volcanism for a long period of time. ...
Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ...
The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
Lo‘ihi seamount is an undersea volcano in the Hawaiian archipelago. ...
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is the volcano observatory in Hawai‘i that monitors the four active Hawaiian volcanoes: KÄ«lauea, Mauna Loa, HualÄlai, and HaleakalÄ. Because KÄ«lauea and Mauna Loa are significantly more active than HualÄlai and HaleakalÄ, much of the observatorys research is concentrated on...
Almost all magma created in the hotspot has the composition of basalt, and so the Hawaiian volcanoes are constructed almost entirely of this igneous rock and its coarse-grained equivalents, gabbro and diabase. A few igneous rock types with compositions unlike basalt, such as nephelinite, do occur on these islands but are extremely rare. The majority of eruptions in Hawaiʻi are Hawaiian-type eruptions because basaltic magma is relatively fluid compared with magmas typically involved in more explosive eruptions, such as the andesitic magmas that produce some of the spectacular and dangerous eruptions around the margins of the Pacific basin. Magma is molten rock located beneath the surface of the Earth (or any other terrestrial planet), and which often collects in a magma chamber. ...
For the cities, see Basalt, Colorado and Basalt, Idaho. ...
Gabbro specimen. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dolerite. ...
This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...
Hawaiian eruptions are relatively gentle, low level volcanic eruptions, named for the volcanoes of Hawaii. ...
 Eruptions from the Hawai ʻi hotspot have left a trail of underwater mountains across the pacific over millions of years, called the Emperor Seamounts Hawaiʻi (the Big Island) is the largest and youngest island in the chain, built from five different volcanoes. Mauna Loa, comprising over half of the Big Island, is the largest shield volcano on the planet. The measurement from sea level to summit is more than 2.5 miles (4 km), from sea level to sea floor about 3.1 miles (5 km). [2] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x632, 451 KB) The trail of underwater mountains created as the the tectonic plate moved across the Hawaii hotspot over millions of years, known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, or the Emperor Seamounts. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x632, 451 KB) The trail of underwater mountains created as the the tectonic plate moved across the Hawaii hotspot over millions of years, known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, or the Emperor Seamounts. ...
In geology, a hotspot is a location on the Earths surface that has experienced active volcanism for a long period of time. ...
The Emperor Seamounts are a chain of seamounts (submerged volcanic mountains) extending from the northwestern Hawaiian Islands (see Kure and Midway atolls) in a northwesterly direction until approximately 170º east longitude where they trend abruptly northward towards the tip of the Aleutian Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula. ...
For other uses, see Mauna Loa (disambiguation). ...
Shield volcano A shield volcano is a large volcano with shallow-sloping sides. ...
See also: List of Hawaiʻi rivers This is a list of streams and rivers in the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
Earthquakes The Hawaiian Islands are the site of many earthquakes. Generally, they are caused by the islands' volcanic foundations. Most of the early earthquake monitoring took place in Hilo, by Sarah J. Lyman and her family. From 1833 to 1896, approximately 4 or 5 earthquakes were reported per year.[3] This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ...
Hilo (pronounced ) is a coastal census-designated place (CDP) in the State of Hawaii, and is the largest community on the Island of Hawaii and the second largest city in the state. ...
The state of Hawaii accounted for 7.3% of the United States' reported earthquakes with a magnitude 3.5 or greater from 1974 to 2003, with a total 1533 earthquakes. Hawaii ranked as the state with the third most earthquakes over this time period.[4] The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude ML scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. ...
On Sunday, October 15, 2006, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7, off the northwest coast of the island of Hawaii, near the Kona area of the big island. The initial earthquake was followed approximately five minutes later by a magnitude 5.7 aftershock. Minor-to-moderate damage was reported on most of the big island, including several major roadways rendered impassable by rock slides, and other structural damage, and effects were felt as far away as Honolulu, Oahu, nearly 150 miles (240 km) from the epicenter. Power outages lasted for several hours to whole days on several islands. Several water mains ruptured. is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ...
The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
For the town in Oahu, see Kailua, Hawaii. ...
Aftershocks are earthquakes in the same region of the mainshock (generally within a few rupture length) but of smaller magnitude and which occur with a pattern that follows Omoris law. ...
For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ...
Oʻahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English), the Gathering Place, is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous island in the State of Hawaiʻi. ...
For other uses, see Epicenter (disambiguation). ...
Linda Lingle, the governor of Hawaii made a statewide disaster declaration several hours after the earthquake struck. A tsunami alert was issued, but quickly canceled after sensor buoys failed to detect significant wave activity. No deaths or life-threatening injuries were reported. Linda Lingle (born Linda Cutter on June 4, 1953) has been Governor of Hawaii since December 2, 2002. ...
The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...
For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ...
Most of the earthquakes are reported by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory established by the USGS. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is the volcano observatory in Hawai‘i that monitors the four active Hawaiian volcanoes: KÄ«lauea, Mauna Loa, HualÄlai, and HaleakalÄ. Because KÄ«lauea and Mauna Loa are significantly more active than HualÄlai and HaleakalÄ, much of the observatorys research is concentrated on...
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ...
Ecology - Related article: Endemism in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Hawaiian Islands are home to a large number of endemic species. The plant and animal life of the Hawaiian Islands developed in nearly complete isolation over about 70 million years. Mammals were absent until they arrived with the first human settlers. Located some 2,400 miles (4,000 km) from the nearest continental shore, the Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated group of islands on the globe. ...
In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced. ...
Human contact, first by Polynesians, introduced new trees, plants and animals. These included voracious species such as rats and pigs, who took a heavy toll on native birds and invertebrates that evolved in the absence of such predators. The growing population also brought deforestation, forest degradation, treeless grasslands, and environmental degradation. As a result, many species which depended on forest habitats and food went extinct. As humans cleared land for farming, monocultural crop production replaced multi-species systems. Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesi = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ...
Monoculture describes systems that have very low diversity. ...
Polyculture is agriculture using multiple crops in the same space, in imitation of the diversity of natural ecosystems, and avoiding large stands of single crops, or monoculture. ...
The arrival of the Europeans had a significant impact, with the promotion of large-scale single-species export agriculture and livestock grazing. In turn, this led to the increased clearing of forests, and the development of towns, driving more species to extinction. Today, many of the remaining endemic species are considered endangered. [1] The European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. ...
For other uses, see Extinction (disambiguation). ...
Climate The islands receive most rainfall from the trade winds on their north and east flanks (called the windward side) as a result of orographic precipitation. Coastal areas in general and especially the south and west flanks or leeward sides, tend to be drier. Because of the frequent build-up of Tradewind clouds and potential showers, most tourist areas have been built on the leeward coasts of the islands. Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 2087 KB) A scene from the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast of Kaua‘i. ...
Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 2087 KB) A scene from the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast of Kaua‘i. ...
Kauai from space (NASA image) Kaua‘i (usually called Kauai outside the Hawaiian Islands) is the oldest and fourth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands. ...
Image:Atmospheric circulatlion. ...
In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ...
In general, the Hawaiian Islands receive most of their precipitation during the winter months (October to April). Drier conditions generally prevail from May to September, but the warmer temperatures increase the risk of hurricanes (see below).
Temperatures at sea level generally range from high temperatures of 85-90 °F (29-32 °C) during the summer months to low temperatures of 65-70 °F (18-21 °C) during the winter months. Very rarely does the temperature rise above 90 °F (32 °C) or drop below 60 °F (16 °C) at lower elevations. Temperatures are lower at higher altitudes; in fact, the three highest mountains of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Haleakala sometimes receive snowfall during the winter. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanoes which together form the island of Hawaii. ...
For other uses, see Mauna Loa (disambiguation). ...
HaleakalÄ or East Maui Volcano is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. ...
One of the most distinctive features of Hawaii’s climate is the small annual variation in air temperature range. This is because there is only a slight variation in length of night and day from one part of Hawaii to another because all its islands lie within a narrow latitude band. The small variations in the length of the daylight period, together with the smaller annual variations in the altitude of the sun above the horizon, result in relatively small variations in the amount of incoming solar energy from one time of the year to another. This factor, and the location of Hawaii in mid-ocean contribute to Hawaii’s pleasant climate. The surface waters of the open ocean around Hawaii have an average temperature that ranges from 73° to 74 °F (23 °C) between late February and early April, to a maximum of 79° to 80 °F (27 °C) in late September or early October. With air temperatures this mild for hundreds of miles around, the air that reaches Hawaii is neither very hot nor very cold. Temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) and above are quite uncommon (with the exception of dry, leeward areas). In the leeward areas, temperatures may reach into the low 90’s several days during the year, but temperatures higher than these are unusual.
The other reason for the small variation in air temperature is the nearly constant flow of fresh ocean air across the islands. Just as the temperature of the ocean surface varies comparatively little from season to season, so also does the temperature of air that has moved great distances across the ocean; the air brings with it to the land the mild temperature regime characteristic of the surrounding ocean. In the central North Pacific, the Trade winds represent the outflow of air from the great region of high pressure, the Pacific Anticyclone, typically located well north and east of the Hawaiian Islands. The Pacific High, and with it the trade-wind zone, moves north and south with changing angle of the sun, so that it reaches its northernmost position in the summer. This brings the heart of the trade winds across Hawaii during the period of May through September, when the Trade winds are prevalent 80 to 95 percent of the time. From October through April, the heart of the Trade winds moves south of Hawaii; however, the Trade winds still blow across the islands much of the time. They provide a system of natural year-long ventilation throughout the islands and bring to the land the mild, warm temperatures characteristic of air that has moved great distances across tropical waters.
The wind patterns on the islands are very complex. Though the trade winds are fairly constant in speed and duration, their relatively uniform air flow is distorted and disrupted by mountains, hills, and valleys. The usual regime is to have upslope winds by day and downslope winds by night. Local conditions that produce occasional violent winds are not well understood, even though the general causes of these winds can be surmised. These are very localized winds, observed only in a few areas. They sometimes reach speeds of 60 to 100 mph (160 km/h) and are best known in the settled areas of Kula and Lahaina on Maui. The Kula winds are strong downslope winds that occur on the lower slopes of the west side of Haleakala. These winds tend to be strongest between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above mean sea level. The Lahaina winds are also downslope winds, but have somewhat different characteristics. They are also called “lehua winds” after the lehua tree, whose red blossoms fill the air when these strong winds blow. They issue from the canyons at the base of the main mountain mass of western Maui, where the steeper canyon slopes meet the more gentle piedmont slope below. These winds are quite infrequent, occurring every 8 to 12 years. They are extremely violent, with wind speeds of 80 to 100 mph (160 km/h) or more.
Cloud Formation – Under trade wind conditions, there is very often a pronounced moisture discontinuity between 4,000 and 8,000 feet (1,200–2425 m). Below these heights the air is moist; above it is dry. The break (a large-scale feature of the Pacific Anticyclone) is caused by a temperature inversion embedded in the moving trade wind air. The inversion tends to suppress the vertical movement of air and so restricts cloud development to the zone just below the inversion. The inversion is present 50 to 70 percent of the time; its height fluctuates from day to day, but it is usually between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500–2,100 m). On trade wind days when the inversion is well defined, the clouds develop below these heights with only an occasional cloud top breaking through the inversion. These towering clouds form along the mountains where the incoming trade wind air converges as it moves up a valley and is forced up and over the mountains to heights of several thousand feet. On days without an inversion, the sky is almost cloudless (completely cloudless skies are extremely rare). In leeward areas well screened from the trade winds (such as the west coast of Maui), skies are clear 30 to 60 percent of the time. Windward areas tend to be cloudier during he summer, when the trade winds and associated clouds are more prevalent, while leeward areas, which are less affected by cloudy conditions associated with trade wind cloudiness, tend to be cloudier during the winter, when storm fronts pass through more frequently. On Maui, the cloudiest zones are at and just below the summits of the mountains, and at elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 feet (600–1,200 m) on the windward sides of Haleakala. In these locations the sky is cloudy more than 70 percent of the time. The usual clarity of the air in the high mountains is associated with the low moisture content of the air. Small village on the Hana road in Maui. ...
Small village on the Hana road in Maui. ...
It is also true that in Hawaii very light showers are extremely frequent in most localities. On the windward coast, it is common to have as many as 10 brief showers in a single day, not one of which is heavy enough to produce more than one-hundredth of an inch of rain. This is because the usual run of trade wind weather yields many light showers in the lowlands, whereas the torrential rains are associated with a sudden surge in the trade winds or with a major storm. Hana has had as much as 28 inches (710 mm) of rain in a single 24-hour period.
Major storms occur most frequently between October and March, inclusive. During this period, there may be as many as six or seven major storm events in a year. Such storms bring heavy rains and are sometimes accompanied by strong local winds. The storms may be associated with the passage of a cold front – the leading edge of a mass of relatively cool air that is moving from west to east or from northwest to southeast.
Kona storms are features of the winter season. They are so-called because they often generate winds coming from the “kona” or leeward direction. The rainfall in a well-developed Kona storm is more widespread and more prolonged than in the usual cold-front storm. Kona storm rains are usually most intense in an arc, or band, extending from south to east of the storm and well in advance of its center. Kona rains last from several hours to several days. The rains may continue steadily, but the longer lasting ones are characteristically interrupted by intervals of lighter rain or even partial clearing, as well as by intense showers superimposed on the more moderate regime of continuous, steady rain. An entire winter may pass without a single well-developed Kona storm. More often, however, there are one or two such storms a year; sometimes there are four or five. Three harbors provide some protection from Kona storms Kahului Harbor (used mostly for commercial vessels), Lahaina and Maalea Harbors used primarily for sailing craft.[2]
Hurricanes -
The hurricane season in the Hawaiian Islands is roughly from June through November, when hurricanes and tropical storms are most probable in the North Pacific. These storms tend to originate off the coast of Mexico (particularly the Baja California peninsula) and track west or northwest towards the islands. Category 4 Hurricane Iniki, Hawaiis most notable hurricane. ...
This article is about weather phenomena. ...
Baja California Peninsula (highlighted) The Baja California Peninsula or Lower California is a peninsula in the west of Mexico. ...
True hurricanes are very rare in Hawaii, indicated by the fact that only four have affected the islands during a 63-year period. Tropical storms are more frequent. These are similar to hurricanes but with more modest winds, below 74 mph (119 km/h). Because weak tropical storms resemble some Kona storms in the winds and rains they produce, and because early records do not distinguish clearly between them, it has been difficult to estimate the average frequency of tropical storms. A tropical storm will pass sufficiently close to Hawaii every year or two to affect the weather in some part of the Islands. Unlike cold fronts and Kona storms, hurricanes and tropical storms are not limited to the winter season. They are most likely to occur during the last half of the year, from July through December. Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ...
Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ...
A surface weather analysis for the United States on October 21, 2006. ...
Hawai‘i is protected by the vastness of the Pacific (i.e. the improbability of a direct hit); as storms cross the Pacific they tend to lose strength if they bear northward and encounter cooler water. It is thought that the topography of the highest islands (Haleakalā on Maui, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island) may protect these islands, and certainly Kauaʻi has been hit more often in the last 50 years than the others.
Effect on trade winds
 The top image above shows the winds around the Hawaiian Islands measured by the Seawinds instrument aboard QuikSCAT during August 1999. Trade winds blow from right to left in the image. The bottom image shows the ocean current formed by the islands' wake. Arrows indicate current direction and speed, while white contours show ocean temperatures. The warm water of the current generates winds which sustain the current for thousands of miles. Despite being a tiny speck of land within the vast Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Islands have a surprising effect on ocean currents and circulation patterns over much of the Pacific. In the Northern Hemisphere, the trade winds blow from northeast to southwest, from North and South America toward Asia, between the equator and 30 degrees north latitude. Typically, the trade winds continue on an uninterrupted course across the Pacific — unless something gets in their way, like an island. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 485 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (540 × 667 pixels, file size: 56 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 485 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (540 × 667 pixels, file size: 56 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
The QuikSCAT (Quick Scatterometer) is an earth-observing satellite that provides wind speed and direction information over oceans to NOAA.It is a quick recovery mission to fill the gap created by the loss of data from the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) that was lost in June 1997. ...
World map showing the equator in red For other uses, see Equator (disambiguation). ...
Hawaii's high mountain landscape presents a substantial obstacle in the path of the trade winds. The elevated topography blocks the airflow, effectively splitting the trade winds in two. This split causes a zone of weak winds, called a "wind wake," to form on the leeward side of the islands.
Aerodynamic theory indicates that an island wind wake effect should dissipate within a few hundred kilometers and not be felt in the western Pacific. However, the wind wake caused by the Hawaiian Islands extends 1,860 miles (3,000 km), which is roughly 10 times longer than any wake observed elsewhere. The long wake testifies to the strong interaction between the atmosphere and ocean, which has strong implications for global climate research. It helps researchers assess climate sensitivity, namely how much increase can be observed in the global mean temperature as carbon dioxide levels increase. It is also important for understanding natural climate variations, like El Niño. For the Daft Punk song, see Aerodynamic (song). ...
Chart of ocean surface temperature anomaly [°C] during the last strong El Niño in December 1997 El Niño and La Niña (also written in English as El Nino and La Nina) are major temperature fluctuations in surface waters of the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. ...
There are number of reasons why this phenomenon has only been observed in Hawaii. First, because the ocean reacts slowly to fast-changing winds, the wind system must be steady to exert force on the ocean, as is the case with the trade winds. Second, the high mountain topography of Hawaiʻi provides a significant disturbance to the winds. Third, the Hawaiian Islands are large in horizontal scale, extending over four degrees in latitude. It is this active interaction between wind, ocean current, and temperature that creates this uniquely long wake west of Hawaiʻi.
In addition, the wind wake drives an eastward "counter current" that brings warm water 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from the Asian coast to Hawaiʻi. This warm water drives further changes in wind, allowing the island effect to extend far into the western Pacific. The counter current had been observed by oceanographers near the Hawaiian Islands years before the long wake was discovered, but they did not know what caused it.[5] Thermohaline circulation Oceanographic frontal systems on the southern hemisphere Oceanography (from the greek words Ωκεανός meaning Ocean and γÏάφω meaning to write), also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth Sciences that studies the Earths oceans and seas. ...
Tsunamis
 Aftermath of the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Hilo, Hawai ʻi, where the tsunami left 61 people dead and 282 seriously injured. The Hawaiian Islands can be affected by tsunamis, great waves that strike the shore typically but not exclusively from the north. Tsunamis are movements of the surface layer of the ocean most often caused by earthquakes somewhere in the Pacific. The city of Hilo on the Big Island has historically been most affected by tsunamis, where the inrushing water is accentuated by the shape of the bay on which the town is situated. Download high resolution version (766x612, 97 KB)Aftermath of the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Hilo, Hawaii, where the tsunami left 61 people dead and 282 seriously injured. ...
Download high resolution version (766x612, 97 KB)Aftermath of the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Hilo, Hawaii, where the tsunami left 61 people dead and 282 seriously injured. ...
The Great Chilean Earthquake of May 22, 1960 is the largest magnitude earthquake in recorded history. ...
For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ...
Surface waves in water This article is about waves in the most general scientific sense. ...
This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ...
Hilo (pronounced ) is a coastal census-designated place (CDP) in the State of Hawaii, and is the largest community on the Island of Hawaii and the second largest city in the state. ...
See also This article is about the U.S. State. ...
In April of 1990, Daniel K. Akaka became the first native Hawaiian and Chinese American to serve in the United States Congress as a Senator from the State of Hawaii. ...
The Hawaiian language is an Austronesian language that takes its name from Hawaiʻi, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. ...
The history of Hawaii includes phases of early Polynesian settlement, British discovery, Euro-American and Asian immigration, the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, a brief period of existing as a Republic, and admission to the United States as a territory and then a state. ...
Motto Ua mau ke ea o ka Äina i ka pono Anthem Hawaii Ponoi Kingdom of Hawaii Capital Lahaina (until 1845) Honolulu (from 1845) Language(s) Hawaiian, English Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch - 1795–1819 Kamehameha I - 1891–1893 Liliuokalani Provisional Government - 1893-1894 Committee of Safety History - Inception 1795 - Unification...
Native Hawaiians gather at ʻIolani Palace on August 12, 1998 to remember the centennial anniversary of the American annexation of Hawaiʻi. ...
Early Polynesians settled in Hawaiʻi circa A.D. 7th century, having traveled from Tahiti and Marquesas on double-hulled voyaging canoes Ancient Hawaiʻi refers to the period of Hawaiian history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. ...
Hawaiian mythology is a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology. ...
List of Hawaii State Landmarks Kauai Kauai is a paradise for nature lovers. ...
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Notes Image File history File links Question_book-3. ...
NASA Earth Observatory is an online publication of NASA where the public can access satellite imagery and scientific information about our planet for free. ...
Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
References - Morgan, Joseph R. (1996), “Volcanic Landforms”, Hawai'i: A Unique Geography, Honolulu, HI: Bess Press, ISBN 1573060216 .
Further reading and resources
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| | | Topics | Culture · Geography · Government · History · Music · Politics · People Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...
Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of...
This article is about the U.S. State. ...
For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ...
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ...
. This is a list of Hawaii-related topics: List of Governors of Hawaii List of movies set in Hawaii List of people from Hawaii List of counties in Hawaii List of rivers in Hawaii List of Hawaiian State Highways List of Hawaiian state parks Contents: Top - 0-9 A B...
Traditional Polynesian dancers performing near Waikiki beach, on Oahu. ...
The history of Hawaii includes phases of early Polynesian settlement, British discovery, Euro-American and Asian immigration, the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, a brief period of existing as a Republic, and admission to the United States as a territory and then a state. ...
The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles, ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. ...
// History and Current Issues This only covers the history of the politics of the State of Hawaii. ...
| | | Main Islands | Hawaiʻi · Kahoʻolawe · Kauaʻi · Lānaʻi · Maui · Molokaʻi · Niʻihau · Oʻahu The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaii. ...
Kaho‘olawe is the smallest of the 8 main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. ...
Kauai (Hawaiian IPA pron. ...
LÄnaÊ»i (IPA: ) is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. ...
For other uses, see Maui (disambiguation). ...
Molokaʻi as viewed from Kaʻanapali, Maui Molokaʻi (also Molokai) is the fifth largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago. ...
Niihau is the smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. State of Hawaiʻi, having an area of 179. ...
Oʻahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English), the Gathering Place, is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous island in the State of Hawaiʻi. ...
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Islands | French Frigate Shoals · Gardner · Kure · Laysan · Lisianski · Maro Reef · Necker · Nihoa · Pearl and Hermes The Hawaiian island chain. ...
Map of French Frigate Shoals The French Frigate Shoals (Hawaiian: MokupÄpapa) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ...
The guano-coated Gardner Pinnacles The Gardner Pinnacles (Hawaiian: PÅ«hÄhonu) are two barren rock outcrops surrounded by a reef and located 946 km (588 miles) northwest of Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands at . ...
Satellite image of Kure Atoll Kure Atoll or Ocean Island (Hawaiian: KÄnemiloha‘i) lies some 55 miles beyond Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at . ...
Laysan is in the middle of the leeward island chain. ...
View of Lisianski Island Lisianski Island (Hawaiian: Papa‘Äpoho) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with a land area of 1. ...
Maro Reef (Hawaiian: Nalukakala) is a largely submerged coral atoll located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ...
On top of Mokumanamana Necker Island (Hawaiian: Mokumanamana) is a small island in the Pacific Ocean, 13 km (8 miles) north of the Tropic of Cancer, located at . ...
Devils Slide The cliffs of Tanager Peak, looking east from Miller Peak. ...
Landsat Satellite image of the atoll. ...
| | | Communities | Hilo · Honolulu · Kahului · Kāneʻohe · Waipahu · Līhuʻe · Pearl City The following list includes the various geographical populated places in Hawaii Unincorporated Communities The following is the list of unincorporated communities in Hawaii NOTE: Hawaii has NO incorporated places Aiea, Hawaii Aina Haina, Hawaii Alakea, Hawaii Anachoomlu, Hawaii Cape Smith, Hawaii Capehart, Hawaii Captain Cook, Hawaii Ewa, Hawaii Ewa Beach...
Hilo (pronounced ) is a coastal census-designated place (CDP) in the State of Hawaii, and is the largest community on the Island of Hawaii and the second largest city in the state. ...
For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ...
Kahului is the largest town on the Hawaiian island of Maui and is located along the north shore of central Maui. ...
Kāne‘ohe is a town and census-designated place (CDP) included in the City & County of Honolulu and located in state District of Ko‘olaupoko on the Island of O‘ahu. ...
Waipahu is a former sugar mill town and now census-designated place (CDP) located in the ‘Ewa District on the Island of O‘ahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i. ...
Cruise ship docked in Port of NÄwiliwili LÄ«hu‘e is the largest town on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua‘i in Hawai‘i. ...
Pearl City is town and a census-designated place (CDP) located in the ‘Ewa District and City & County of Honolulu on the Island of Oahu. ...
| | | Counties | Hawaiʻi · Honolulu · Kalawao · Kauaʻi · Maui Hawaii counties The five counties of Hawaii on the Hawaiian Islands enjoy somewhat greater status than many counties on the United States mainland. ...
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. ...
Location in the state of Hawaii Formed Seat Honolulu Area - Total - Water 5,509 km² (2,127 mi²) 3,955 km² (1,527 mi²) 71. ...
Kalawao County is a county located in the state of Hawaii. ...
Kauai County is a county located in the state of Hawai‘i. ...
Maui County is a county located in the state of Hawaii. ...
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