Wednesday 8 16 23 morning call

A few readers asked me why I never mentioned anything about the Lahaina fire. The reason is double:
1) I don't have much to say about it, other that I am obviously devastated by it, just like any other Maui resident
2) the coverage of the media of this horrible tragedy is so pervasive and ubiquitous, that I felt it would feel refreshing for the readers if I kept writing only about wind and waves.

But since this post is now "compromised" from this last point of view, maybe I will try to add some possible value to it.
I'm far from being an expert of the west side wind conditions, but in 22 years in Maui I too have experienced that kind of sudden and extremely strong offshore wind in that area that was the principal ingredient for the fire to first start (downed power lines, cigarette butt, other kind of sparkles, who knows), and then to spread so quickly. The other, of course, was the extreme drought.

We're all familiar with the fact that the Ukumehame area gets strong offshores very often. Instead, the strong offshore in the Launiupoko and Lahaina area are much more rare. Must be a matter of direction. Below is a satellite image that shows a possible funnel through the West Maui Mountains. I have no idea what main direction it takes for that to happen. I'm gonna guess a tad more north that the usual ENE trades. For sure, that tragic day the wind was blowing much stronger on that side than on the north shore (like 50+mph vs 35mph).

Hookipa yesterday.

6am Surfline significant buoy readings and discussion. South shore
Barbers

• • • 1.2ft

      , 13s, S 190º

Lanai

• • • 1.2ft

      , 13s, SSW 195º
    • 1.1ft

      , 11s, S 180º
  • 
    

Very small southerly energy at the buoys. Check the Kihei webcam instead if interested, for size, conditions and consistency.

North shore

NW001

• 2.9ft

  , 11s, NW 305º
• 
  
• 1.2ft

  , 8s, NNW 335º

Hanalei

• • 2.7ft

    , 11s, NW 305º
  • 
    
  • 0.9ft

    , 8s, NNW 340º

Waimea

• • 1.5ft

    , 11s, NW 325º
  • 1.5ft

    , 9s, NW 320º

Mokapu

• • • 4.1ft

      , 6s, E 80º
• 
  

Medium period NW energy continues at the buoys. Home guess for Hookipa is waist to chest high, bigger in the afternoon windier conditions.

 Wind map at noon. The other ones can be found here.

Fetches map (circles legend: red: direct aim, blue: angular spreading, black: blocked, yellow: possibly over the ice sheet) from Windy.
North Pacific (about 4 days travel time from the NW corner of the North Pacific):

South Pacific (about 7 days travel time from east/west of New Zealand):

Morning sky