LIHUE — Mount Waialeale, known as one of the wettest spots on Earth, was far from it in January. In fact, you could argue it was downright dry. Last month, Waialeale saw only 3.38 inches of rain. The average amount
LIHUE — Mount Waialeale, known as one of the wettest spots on Earth, was far from it in January.
In fact, you could argue it was downright dry.
Last month, Waialeale saw only 3.38 inches of rain. The average amount of rain for January there is 24.78 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Kevin Kodama, NWS hydrologist, said the dry weather is consistent with a strong El Nino.
“If you open up the El Nino playbook, we check off all the boxes,” he said.
Effects of El Nino include big surf, an active hurricane season, a wet summer and fall, and a dry January, he said.
Kauai has experienced all of the above, Kodama said.
“We saw the potential for a dry season about six months ago, he said. “We knew El Nino was going to be strong, so we were pretty confident the winter was going to be dry.”
The last time the islands experienced a strong El Nino was in 1998, which sparked a four-year drought, Kodama said.
Dry conditions in January broke new records across the state for low rainfall.
According to the NWS, all of Oahu’s rain gauges recorded 10 percent below average rainfall last month. Only .03 inches fell at the Honolulu International Airport, down from .18 inches recorded in January during 1986 and 2001.
Maui County also saw below average rainfall at all locations, with new records set at Lahaina and Kula. The Puu Kukui gauge recorded 1.08 inches of rain, which is 3 percent of average and its lowest total since January 1977.
Rainfall was 30 percent below average on the Big Island at all locations.
Like the rest of Hawaii, Kauai saw a lower-than average rainfall last month.
All 26 gauges on the island posted below average rainfall, and each of the totals were less than 20 percent of the January average.
Hanapepe, Kalaheo, and Omao broke record January lows, each receiving less than one inch of rain. Additionally, the Lihue Airport, which had 0.32 inches of rain, had its lowest January total since 1986, according to the report.
Port Allen saw the lowest amount of rainfall in January, coming in at .07 inches. The average amount of rainfall in January for Port Allen is 3.78 inches.
Because NWS knew there was potential for a very dry winter, officials did “quite a bit of outreach” so the community knew what to expect, Kodama said.
“We met with Kauai officials, and told them our expectations,” he said. “We were at the point where we hoped it would be dry because it would look bad if it didn’t pan out.”
While Kauai is not in a drought, some areas of the island — especially the pastures — are experiencing some drought-like symptoms like brown grass, Kodama said.
“The lack of rain is having an impact on the ranching community, and as weeks go by, it’ll get worse,” he said.
Kodama doesn’t expect relief from the dry spell anytime soon.
“We might get a wet spot here and there, but we’re expecting lower than average rainfall at least until April,” he said.
