Hilo had its wettest August in a quarter-century, according to a report released Thursday by the National Weather Service.
Hilo had its wettest August in a quarter-century, according to a report released Thursday by the National Weather Service.
The rain gauge at Hilo International Airport registered 24.68 inches last month, two-and-a-half times the August average and the highest total since 1991. Records for August rainfall totals were broken at Waiakea Uka, with 29.82 inches; Glenwood, with 28.86 inches; and Mountain View, with 26.48 inches.
“It’s pretty much wiped out most of the rainfall deficits that occurred earlier in the year,” said Kevin Kodama, hydrologist for the NWS Honolulu office. “We had the El Nino-related drought early in the year, and we had some pretty significant rainfall deficits right off the bat for 2016. But, as a result of the spring and summer, that’s pretty much all gone.
“As of this week, the last remaining area of drought on the Big Island was removed.”
Kodama was referring to South Point, which received just more than 4 inches of rain, as opposed to 2.55 inches for a normal August.
“Over the past couple of months, with the tropical systems coming by and it just being rainy, things have been getting better for them,” he said.
Pahala, which also was a point of impact for Tropical Storm Darby and a near-miss point for Tropical Storm Madeline, had an unusually rainy month with 8.29 inches, 240 percent of its norm of 3.46 inches. Kapapala Ranch near Pahala, got almost three-and-a-half times its normal August rainfall, with 12.12 inches.
At the end of August, Hilo airport had a 68.12 inch rainfall total for the year, and Mountain View checked in at just less than 96 inches, both about 85 percent of their average. Glenwood, one of the traditionally rainiest populated areas of the island, had 98.46 inches, about 68 percent of its average.
The Saddle Road Quarry gauge tallied August’s highest rainfall total, with 34.41 inches, 277 percent of its average, and the highest daily total with 9.29 inches Aug. 31 during the passage of Madeline. It also had the highest year-to-date total of 176.79 inches, 187 percent of its average.
Locations with continuing deficits in year-to-date rainfall are mainly in the Kona and leeward Kohala areas, but the wet August extended to numerous leeward locations, as well.
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park received 3.58 inches of rain, more than twice its August average of 1.67 inches. Kealakekua and Honaunau received 6.9 and 7.18 inches of rainfall, respectively, slightly above the August average in South Kona’s coffee belt, which is in its wet season. And Puuwaawaa in North Kona had almost 5.5 inches of rain, 464 percent of its 1.18 inch norm for the month.
Although wetter weather was the norm, there were exceptions.
Kahua Ranch on Kohala Mountain Road was parched, with just 0.71 inch for the month, 15 percent of its normal August total of 4.65 inches. Honokaa had less than a third of its usual August rainfall with just less than 2 inches. And Puuanahulu in North Kona didn’t share in neighboring Puuwaawaa’s bountiful downpour, receiving less than a half-inch for the month, less than half its norm.
According to Kodama, the number of tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific during this year’s hurricane season — which lasts through November — is slightly above average.
“What’s definitely above average is the number of close calls,” he said. “We’ve had one direct hit, already, with Darby in July, and we had two close ones with (Hurricane) Lester and Madeline — especially Madeline, that one was really close.”
Kodama said the long-range outlook issued by the NWS Climate Prediction Center points to higher-than-normal rainfall totals for the remainder of the year. He said next month, his office will be releasing its wet-season outlook for October through April.
“It’s kind of early to say,” he said. “As of right now, it looks like we’re going to be wet.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com
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Location/August rainfall/Average/Percent of Average
Hilo Int’l Airport 24.68 9.85 251
Waiakea Uka 29.82 17.11 174
Piihonua 27.6 15.65 176
Hakalau 14.11 7.05 200
Laupahoehoe 10.21 11.52 89
Honokaa 1.87 6.13 31
Mountain View 26.48 13.64 194
Glenwood 28.86 18.37 157
Pahoa 17.21 10.17 169
Waimea 4.68 3.6 130
Kohala Ranch 1.49 0.62 240
Kahua Ranch 0.71 4.65 15
Kapapala Ranch 12.12 3.44 352
Pahala 8.29 3.46 240
South Point 4.02 2.55 158
Kahuku Ranch 2.67 2.69 99
Honaunau 7.18 5.83 123
Kealakekua 6.9 6.05 114
Kainaliu 5.66 5.83 97
Keahole-Kona airport 1.67 1.39 120
Puuanahulu 0.54 1.25 43
Puuwaawaa 5.47 1.18 464
Source: National Weather Service