State of Hawaii

MONTH: March 2008

PREPARED: April 3, 2008

State: [Text data table for rain gages]

An overall dry, stable weather pattern that started on February 9 continued through March 11 with a low level ridge of high pressure near the island chain keeping winds light and rainfall sparse. The ridge shifted northward on March 12 allowing moderate to fresh trade winds to resume with its attendant windward showers bringing some needed relief, especially to those residents relying on water catchment systems.

On March 17 and 18, an upper level trough helped produce thunderstorms over the Big Island and east Maui. A few gages recorded 1 to 2 inches of rain but no flooding problems. Another upper level trough produced enhanced shower activity on March 20 and 21 over Kauai and isolated afternoon thunderstorms over west Oahu on March 21. Water levels in Hanalei River became elevated but remained within the banks. The west Oahu thunderstorms dropped 2 to 3 inches of rain in an hour over the Waianae and Lualualei areas and produced minor flooding. The remainder of March involved mainly moderate trade winds across the island chain and daily gage totals of mostly less than an inch.

March is normally one of the wettest months of the year for windward locations so even though several sites had totals near or above 10 inches, the percent of normal values remained very low. The Glenwood gage on the windward side of the Big Island provides an example. This gage recorded 10.95 inches in March, the fourth highest statewide, but this amount registered at only 54 percent of normal.

Island of Kauai : [March 2008 map] [Year-to-date map]

Most of the rain gages on Kauai showed totals at less than 50 percent of normal for the month of March. Mount Waialeale’s 33.40 inches (96 percent of normal) led all totals statewide and was the only Kauai total at a near normal level. This site also recorded 7.17 inches on March 20, the highest daily total in the state. In contrast, the gage at Lihue Airport recorded only 0.19 inches (5 percent of normal), which set a new record for the lowest March rainfall total. The previous record was 0.09 inches set back in 1957.

Rain totals for 2008 through the end of March were in the near to below normal range at all gages on Kauai. Mount Waialeale’s 99.62 inches (93 percent of normal) leads all totals statewide. Lihue Airport has recorded only 2.72 inches (24 percent of normal) so far this year, the lowest January-March total since 1993 (1.53 inches).

Island of Oahu: [March 2008 map] [Year-to-date map]

All gages on Oahu recorded below normal rainfall with no monthly total above 50 percent of normal and more than half of the sites reporting less than 20 percent of normal March rainfall. Only one gage, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Poamoho No. 2 site, recorded a total above 10 inches. Hydronet gages at Olomana Fire Station, Maunawili, Hawaii Kai Golf Course, Kamehame, Aloha Tower, Waipio, and Kunia posted new records for the driest March since 1991 when archives started for these sites. In all cases, the previous records occurred in March 1993. Honolulu Airport’s 0.08 inches (4 percent of normal) ranked as the fifth driest March on record.

Rain totals for 2008 through the end of March were in the near to below normal range at all gages on Oahu. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gage in the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge had the highest total at 40.40 inches (77 percent of normal) while the Manoa Lyon gage had the highest percent of normal value (33.98 inches, 96 percent of normal).

Maui County: [Maui March 2008 map] [Year-to-date map] [Molokai/Lanai March 2008 map] [Year-to-date map]

All of the gages across Maui County recorded below normal rainfall for the month and more than half recorded totals at less than 20 percent of normal. Like Oahu, several sites set new records for the driest March, including Kahului Airport, Ulupalakua Ranch, Molokai Airport, Kahakuloa, and Haiku. The new records at Kahului Airport, Ulupalakua Ranch, and Molokai Airport were of greater significance since these sites have more than 50 years of record. At Kahului Airport, the March 2008 total of 0.01 inches broke the previous record of 0.09 inches set in 1957. For Ulupalakua Ranch, the new record of 0.11 inches beat the prior record of 0.17 inches set in 1985 with an archive going back to 1955. The Molokai Airport total of 0.03 inches beat a previous record of 0.16 inches set in 1961.

Most of the gages across Maui County had below normal totals for 2008 through the end of March. West Wailuaiki and Oheo Gulch continued to show near to above normal totals due to the resumption of trade wind showers during the latter half of the month. Puu Kukui’s 70.77 inches (72 percent of normal) led all gages county-wide and continued to have the second highest total in the state.

Island of Hawaii: [March 2008 map] [Year-to-date map]

After February’s drenching, dry conditions dominated the Big Island with all gages posting below normal totals for March. New records for the driest March were set at Honokaa, Kahua Ranch, and Kamuela. With records going back to 1977, the new Kahua Ranch record of 0.55 inches beat the previous record of 0.60 inches set in March 1992. Resumption of trade wind showers in the latter half of March prevented any broken records in the Hilo and Puna districts. Glenwood’s 10.95 inches led all Big Island gages. The Waiakea Uka gage had the highest daily total of 1.48 inches on March 18 as a result of heavy rains triggered by an upper level trough. Just one month before, this same gage recorded 16.34 inches in one day (February 2).

Gages in Hamakua, Hilo, Puna, and most of Kau continued to show near to above normal rain totals for 2008 through the end of March, mainly as a result of heavy February rains. Gages in Kohala and Kona had below normal totals. Waiakea Uka’s 65.98 inches continued to lead all Big Island totals and ranked third in the state.

Data Sources: Data used in this report are largely from National Weather Service sources including climate network weather observation stations at Lïhue, Honolulu, Kahului, and Hilo, the Hydronet state network of automated rain gages, and selected Cooperative Observer sites. Additional data come from automated rain gages operated by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, the US Geological Survey, the US Bureau of Land Management, the US National Park Service, the Department of Defense, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Data presented here are not certified and should be used for information purposes only.

Kevin R. Kodama
Senior Service Hydrologist
NOAA/NWS Weather Forecast Office Honolulu