Drought Information Statement for the Main Hawaiian Islands 
Valid January 12, 2024
Issued By: WFO Honolulu, HI
Contact Information: w-hfo.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated February 9, 2024 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/hfo/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 

U.S. Drought Monitor
Several rain events during December and early January helped ease drought conditions in the state. 

Drought intensity and Extent
D2 (Severe Drought): Reduced to just the leeward slopes and central valley of Maui.
D1 (Moderate Drought): Reduced to leeward portions of Maui and the Big Island.
Note that the data cutoff for this week’s map doesn’t include impacts for Maui County and the Big Island. See next week’s map for additional changes.

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
One Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 
Drought Improved: Leeward portions of Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. 
Four week Drought Monitor Class Change (link above).
Drought improvement in portions of all four counties.

Precipitation
Kauaʻi and Oʻahu’s Koʻolau Range had mostly near to above average rainfall in December. 
Maui County had mostly below average rainfall.
Most of the Big Island had  near to below average rainfall, especially in the central and southeastern portions of the island.
Image Captions: November 2023 rainfall totals (in inches) from the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal. 

Mitigation Actions
Despite the recent improvement in drought conditions, state and county agencies are continuing mitigation and conservation outreach efforts in anticipation of the peak El Niño dry period (mid-December through February). 
On December 27, 2023, the Maui County Department of Water Supply downgraded their Stage 2 Water Shortage status to a Stage 1 Water Shortage for the Upcountry water service area on Maui. The Stage 1 Water Shortage puts restrictions on the use of water certain activities such as irrigation, watering lawns, washing vehicles, and other non-essential activities.

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Most of the gages across the state indicated normal 14-day average flow levels.
The 28-day average flow levels also mostly in the normal range.
Image Caption: USGS 14 day average streamflow map valid December 6, 2023

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
An early January cold front produced heavy rainfall across portions of the state. This rainfall may help end drought over some of the leeward areas from Oʻahu to the Big Island. 
The ongoing El Niño is still expected to result in below normal precipitation across the main Hawaiian Islands into spring 2024, which may result in the redevelopment of drought in some areas.
Image Caption: 
Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook Released Dec 31, 2023 valid for Jan 2024