Kauaʻi Sees Below Average Rainfall in June

It was a dry June for Kauaʻi.

According to the monthly precipitation summary from the National Weather Service in Honolulu, all of the island’s rain gauges recorded below average totals for the month. Most of the totals were in the range of 30%-60% of average.

The U.S. Geological Survey rain gauge on Mount Waiʻaleʻale had the highest monthly total of 21.40 inches, or 65% of average, and the highest daily total of 3.30 inches on June 8, according to the summary, which was prepared by NWS senior service hydrologist Kevin Kodama. The gauge at ʻŌmaʻo had its lowest June total since 2009, and the gauges at Līhuʻe Airport, Hanalei and Kapahi had their lowest June totals since 2012.

Most rain gauges on Kauaʻi also had recorded below average rainfall totals for the year through the end of June. The Mount Waiʻaleʻale gauge had the highest year-to-date total of 144.67 inches, 77 percent of average, according to Kodama’s summary.

“The main Hawaiian Islands had trade winds on most of the days in June,” Kodama wrote in his summary. “The sole break in the trades occurred on June 8 and 9, when the near-surface winds veered to a southeasterly direction. Prior to this break, the trades were light to moderate, and after the break the speeds were mainly in the moderate to fresh range.”

Low pressure systems aloft provided additional instability over the island chain during the second half of the month, which enhanced some of the rainfall embedded within the trade winds. However, most of the daily totals were still less than an inch.

The state’s biggest rain event of the month occurred the afternoon of June 22 along the slopes of South Kohala and North and South Kona on the Big Island. The highest totals of 1-4 inches were in Hōlualoa and Waiʻaha in North Kona.

The event produced some minor flooding, but no reports of significant damage, according to the summary.

Severe to extreme drought also continued to affect portions of the state in June. The worst conditions were in the leeward sections of Maui County and the Big Island.

For more details about drought areas, click here to see the Drought Information Statement.