Exceptional drought conditions ‘could be coming’
For the second consecutive month, much of the Big Island had abnormally dry weather.
That’s according to Kevin Kodama, chief service hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
“July was around half of normal rainfall and August, so far,” Kodama told the Tribune-Herald on Tuesday. “Up north in Hamakua west of Paauilo and up to the windward side of Kohala Mountain, it’s been OK. But that’s only in the lower elevations. Higher elevations, it’s dry. The rain’s not getting upslope.”
With 4.73 inches of rain, Pahoa reported its driest July since 2004, two decades ago. That’s just 42% of the Puna village’s average July total of 11.38 inches.
Hilo International Airport recorded just 4.84 inches, 52% of its usual July total of 9.24 inches.
“It’s interesting because it’s been raining every day, but the amounts have been, like, half of normal, Kodama said. That’s how summer drought manifests itself on the windward side.
NWS’s drought monitor shows most of Hawaii Island in D0, or abnormally dry conditions. In the interior of the island, there is a circle up in the Saddle area of D1, or moderate drought conditions. That circle totally surrounds a smaller circle of D2, or severe drought conditions.
None of Hawaii Island is in D3, or exceptional drought conditions, but Kodama cautioned: “That could be coming.”
It was rainier in the lower elevations above Hilo and in upper Puna. Piihonua received 9.48 inches in July; that, however was only 56% of its norm for the month. Glenwood, in the Puna rainforest, had 8.77 inches, but that’s only 43% of its usual 20-plus inches for July.
With dry conditions gripping much of the island, and many rural residents dependent on rain catchment systems, business is good for water-haulers.
“We’ve been extremely busy. We’ve been running really long days and nights …,” said Loke Medeiros of JB Water Hauling. “Right now, my company has about a two-day wait list, and it depends on where the location is. If you’re in Volcano, the wait list is about four or five days out. If you’re in lower Puna, it’ll be one-and-a-half to two days, depending on what size truck they order.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that there’s a whole lot more people that’s on catchment, and the spread is massive, because a lot of people in Hamakua are now on catchment. There are a lot of people building on multi-acre properties that they’re buying without realizing there’s no access to water. So, they’re ordering water, and we’ve got to lug that water from Pahoa.”
The sun-drenched tarmac at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keauhou, which usually gets just less than a half-inch of rain in a normal July, tallied a quarter-inch last month.
The Kona coffee belt experiences its rainy season in the summer, but all four of the official gauges there measured below-normal rainfall totals.
Waiaha was the wettest spot in the region, with 3.88 inches, 87% of its norm. Kealakekua was close behind with 3.87 inches, 56% of average. Honaunau reported 3.79 inches, 57% of its July norm. And the driest spot was Kainaliu, with 2.45 inches, just 37% of average.
“It’s been drier than they’ve had in the last few summers, said Kodama. “The last few summers, it could be dry in other parts of the island, but they were getting their rainfall. They’re still getting rain, but it’s less than it has been.”
The other coffee belt, in Ka‘u, also recorded decreased rainfall totals than in years past. Kapapala Ranch received 2.12 inches, 61% of its norm. Pahala checked in at 2.13 inches, 63% of norm. And Kahuku Ranch reported 2.12 inches, 49% of an average July.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
