June’s weather was a tale of two Hawaii Islands, rain-wise.
Most of the Big Island, including the windward side and interior sectors, remain abnormally dry or in drought with below-average rainfall totals for the month. However, the most leeward area of the island, the Kona-Kohala coastline, experienced enough rain to extricate it from a months-long drought.
“Just over 56% of the island is in a (moderate) drought or worse, with just under 87% of the island abnormally dry or worse,” Tina Stall, hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said Tuesday.
Honokaa, which is used to relatively dry Junes, had just 1.86 inches of rain last month, 40% of its norm of 4.62 inches. Laupahoehoe was almost two inches rainier, at 3.84 inches, but that was just 46% of its 8.26 inches average rainfall.
In Ka‘u, one Kapapala gauge recorded 0.61 inches, its second driest June on record, with the driest occurring in 2012. That’s a mere 35% of its normal June rainfall total of 2.94 inches.
Hilo and vicinity experienced enough rain to keep the landscape green, but it was still drier than normal.
Hilo International Airport reported 5.38 inches for the month, 74% of its 7.3 inches norm. It was wetter upslope in Puna, with Mountain View receiving 10 inches and Glenwood 10.37 inches — but that was 86% and 61% of their June averages, respectively.
In lower Puna, Pahoa was right at its monthly norm with 8.78 inches.
According to Stall, early morning showers June 4 and June 5 along the Kona slopes were the start of a bountiful rain that ended, at least temporarily, drought conditions in West Hawaii — where the summer is the rainy season. The two-day totals were between a half-inch and an inch. Weaker trade winds and sea breezes on June 7 and June 8 led to afternoon showers along Kona slopes, with Kealakekua getting about 2 inches on June 8.
Gauges recorded up to 0.25 inches on the nights of June 12 and 13, with widespread showers — up to an inch in some locations — across the island on the night of the June 16 into June 17. Beginning on June 18, trades weakened slightly and moderate showers fell on the Kona slopes through June 20.
A weak upper trough passed north of the islands June 23-25, enhancing windward and mauka showers, with Big Island spots receiving between 0.25 inches to 1.5 inches.
“This is pretty typical for the leeward side; this is their wet season,” Stall said.
Wet season notwithstanding, some of the rainfall totals are prodigious — especially in Kona’s coffee belt. Three of the four coffee belt gauges recorded rainfall in double-digits for the month.
Honaunau led the way with 13.33 inches, 219% of norm. Waiaha was a close second with 13.12 inches, while Kealakekua had 11.64 inches. Only Kainaliu missed the double-digit rain train, but its 8.2 inches for the month was 41% above its average for June.
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park registered 3.45 inches, just over twice its June average. Even Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, where visitors are traditionally greeted by a sun-splashed tarmac, had more than twice its normal June rainfall, at 1.62 inches.
Bill Myers, senior advisor at Heavenly Hawaiian Kona Coffee Farms, was pleased with both the amount and timing of the rainfall and its effects on Kona’s signature agricultural export.
“It’s actually looking like it’s going to be a really good crop,” Myers said. “What you want to have happen as you’re approaching the picking season, you’d like some rain followed by sun for several days. That will cause everything to pop. And that’s what’s happening.
“This is very early, and we’re getting ready already to do a first pick. This will not be a serious pick; we just have to get these first cherries off the trees so the (main crop) will have a home. But this is early. And the trees are packed. This is looking like a really good season, as long as the rains don’t get too much heavier. You’re always worried about waterlogged beans, but I don’t think we’re there yet.”
Stall said relief for the drought-stricken and abnormally dry majority of the Big Island’s land mass is unlikely any time soon.
“We’re still looking at below normal rainfall totals for the remainder of the dry season,” she said. “The forecast is for enhanced probabilities for below normal precipitation through November.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
