’99 rainfall again
below normal in
most areas

Rainfall during the last three
months helped a lot in some areas,
but it still wasn't enough overall

By Mary Adamski
Star-Bulletin

Storms and squalls have swept through the islands in the past three months, but they weren't enough to fill rain gauges to reach normal yearly totals.

National Weather Service gauges in Honolulu, Kunia, Waimanalo and Kahaluu last year registered about half the normal volume and leeward areas of Maui and the Big Island fared even worse.

"We're into the third year of drought carrying over from the 1997 start from El Nino," said Kevin Kodama, National Weather Service senior service hydrologist.

Some of the driest areas were Lanai City, where the year's 14.5 inches of precipitation added up to 38 percent of the norm, and on Maui. Lahainaluna had just 6.55 inches or 33-percent of normal and Kihei had 4.25 inches or 28 percent of normal.

"There seems to be the perception we are in a wet pattern, especially on Oahu, but there are still portions of the state that could use more rain," Kodama said.

"Upcountry areas are in a two-year drought. Agriculture sectors are pretty hard hit and they're not getting relief needed to pull out."

The only Oahu areas that weren't in a wetness deficit at year's end were Mililani, where 45.56 inches equaled 101 percent of normal annual accumulation, and Manoa Valley with 146.36 inches or 98 percent of the norm.

On the Big Island, the 60.05 inches at Kamuela was 104 percent of normal rainfall and 200.41 inches in Glenwood and 179.54 inches at Mountain View represented 121 percent and 106 percent respectively.

The gauge at Kaunakakai recorded 7.36 inches last year, 45 percent of normal.

At Lihue, there was 37.71 inches or 52 percent of normal but Kapahi on the west side got 78.83 inches or 99 percent of normal.

Kodama said the rainfall in the last three months made significant contributions to the annual total in some areas.

At the Olomana fire station, 10 inches of the total 27.53 inches were recorded in the last three months of 1999.