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AXHW70 PHFO 100116
DGTHFO
HIC001-003-007-009-110130-

Drought Information Statement
National Weather Service Honolulu HI
316 PM HST Wed Dec 9 2020

...DROUGHT RELIEF OVER THE WINDWARD SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND AND
MAUI COUNTY...

.SYNOPSIS:
Enhanced trade wind rainfall during the second half of November
brought drought relief to the windward slopes of the Big Island
and Maui County. In early November, these areas were in severe
drought, or the D2 category on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, due
to agriculture and hydrologic impacts. Rainfall since that time
has been enough to pull these areas out of drought. The boost in
rainfall over both counties did not reach the leeward areas. As a
result, extreme drought, or the D3 category, continues over the
west half of Molokai, the lower leeward slopes of Haleakala on
Maui, the lower south-facing slopes of Lanai, and the lower slopes
of the South Kohala District on the Big Island.

In the west half of the state, significant rain events in late
October helped eliminate severe drought from the lower leeward
slopes of the Waianae Range of Oahu. Moderate drought, or the D1
category, was reduced to the Ewa and Kunia areas of west Oahu and
the Hawaii Kai and Waimanalo areas of east Oahu. On Kauai,
abundant trade wind rainfall, especially in second half of
November, quickly eliminated hydrologic drought that was at D1 and
D2 levels along the north side of the island.

.SUMMARY OF IMPACTS:
Kauai County
There are no remaining drought areas in Kauai County. Stream
flow data from Hanalei River, Wainiha River, and Waialae Stream
indicated significant improvements after dropping below the 10th
percentile in October and early November.

Oahu (City and County of Honolulu)
Satellite-based vegetation health data indicated lingering areas of
degraded conditions over the lower leeward slopes from Ewa to
Kunia.

Maui County
Ground reports and satellite-based data indicated very poor
vegetation health over the west half of Molokai, the lower south-
facing slopes of Lanai, the lower leeward slopes of the West Maui
Mountains, and most of Upcountry Maui. Stream flow levels have
improved along the windward slopes due to the return of trade wind
rainfall in November. This helped improve supplies for water
systems in Upcountry and West Maui.

Hawaii County
Satellite-based vegetation health data indicated very poor
conditions continuing along the leeward Kohala slopes. The dry
brush helped fuel a wildfire in the Waikoloa area during late
November. Significant rainfall along the windward slopes in the
latter half of November helped improve stream flow levels and
vegetation conditions.

.DROUGHT MITIGATION ACTIONS:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared Hawaii County and Maui County
as Primary Natural Disaster Areas in March 2020. In November
2020, Kauai County and the City and County of Honolulu were added
to the list due to significant drought in the late summer and
early fall. The declaration allows the Farm Service Agency to
extend emergency credit to producers affected by drought
conditions.

On November 20, the County of Hawaii Department of Water Supply
cancelled the Water Conservation Notice for its South Kohala
customers. The flow in streams supplying reservoirs for the area
improved over the past month. The notice asked that customers
reduce water use by at least 10 percent.

The Maui County Department of Water Supply ended its Stage 1 Water
Shortage restrictions for Upcountry and West Maui on November 27.
The flow in streams supplying these water systems improved over
the past month. The declaration requested that residents in the
affected areas cut back on non-essential water use.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has maintained its conservation request
for Oahu. The request asks for reduced consumption to help ensure
adequate long term supply. The request was issued on October 7.

.LOCAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK:
The Long-Lead Hawaiian Islands Outlook issued on November 19 by
the NOAA Climate Prediction Center showed probabilities favoring
above normal rainfall into spring 2021. Probabilities continued to
favor above normal temperatures across the state through spring
2021 due to the forecast of above average sea surface temperatures
around the Hawaiian Islands. The next long-lead outlook will be
issued by the Climate Prediction Center on December 17.

The west half of the state and the east-facing windward slopes of
Maui and the Big Island have the best chances to be drought-free
by the end of the October through April wet season. Leeward areas
of Maui and the Big Island may have drought persist over the next
several months with only a limited easing of dry conditions.

.NEXT ISSUANCE DATE:
The next Drought Information Statement will be issued on January
14, 2021 or sooner if necessary in response to significant
changes in conditions.

.RELATED WEB SITES:
Additional information on current drought conditions may be found
at the following web addresses:

U.S. Drought Monitor: droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
Hawaii Drought Monitor: dlnr.hawaii.gov/drought
USGS Hawaii - Recent Conditions: hi.water.usgs.gov/recent/index.html
Climate Prediction Center long-lead Hawaii outlook:
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/90day/fxhw40.html
Hawaii Drought Impact Reporter: hawaii.droughtreporter.unl.edu/

.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
Information for this product was compiled from a number of sources including
the county boards and departments of water supply, U.S. and State
of Hawaii agriculture agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey, and
the media.

.CONTACT INFORMATION:
If you have questions or comments about this drought information
statement, please contact:

Kevin Kodama
National Weather Service
2525 Correa Rd. Suite 250
Honolulu HI 96822
Phone: 808-973-5276
Email: Kevin.kodama@noaa.gov

$$