I wanted to put this here as it ties in to the question of where were they and why did they not find Howland. I am going to try to post some pictures, based on more reading in FAQ I think I know how. I will try to use them to illustrate my point. I will post one and if it doesn't work or I blow the file size rules I'll wait to hear the wrath of the moderators and cease and desist. I hope there are no WX guessers on here as they will probably attack my weather knowledge.
We did one of the best picture taking flights of my career in 2001. I was flying the 2-seat F-16 from which the pics were taken and have the original digitals. I will post lower resolution to try to keep file size down. We went from Homestead AFB FL SE to a low level route that follows the Keys about 5-15 miles off shore. It was AM, very calm (unusually so), hot summertime. Through the duration of the flight the normal convection created haze in the 1500-2000 range, then CU started to build, and by the time we flew back from out by the Dry Tortugas 1.5 hours later they were well on their way to being thunderstorms.
First pic, beginning of flight, about 2000-3000' about 7-10 miles W E of Key Largo (that is it in the background assuming this posts and you can see it) looking W. Note the haze washing out the vis at low angle but still clear looking down at sharper angle at the sailboat under the nose of nearest airplane. Also on horizon CU (puffies) are forming (over land first). Also note washed out appearance of the water below and remember that for next picture if this works.