Drought Information Statement for the Main Hawaiian Islands 
Valid September 13, 2024
Issued By: WFO Honolulu, HI
Contact Information: w-hfo.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated October 11, 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. 

Hurricane Hone and the remnants of Gilma ease drought over portions of the state.

U.S. Drought Monitor
Tropical cyclone-related rainfall in August helped ease drought levels from Oʻahu to the Big Island. 
Drought intensity and Extent
D3 (Extreme Drought): None. Removed from the Big Island and Maui.
D2 (Severe Drought): Remains over leeward Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Maui. Removed from the Big Island.
D1 (Moderate Drought): Covered portions of leeward Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui County. Removed from the Big Island.
D0: (Abnormally Dry): Covered north Kauaʻi and small portions of Oʻahu and Maui County. An area remains on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the Big Island.

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
One Week Drought Monitor Class Change.
Drought worsened: None.
Drought improved: The Koʻolau Range on Oʻahu. Also the slopes of Mauna Kea and the lower Kaʻū District on the Big Island. 
No Change: Kauaʻi County, and leeward areas of Oʻahu and Maui County.
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 
Drought worsened: None.
Drought improved: Most of the Big Island and Maui County. 
No Change: All of Lānaʻi and Kauaʻi County, and leeward areas of Oʻahu and Molokaʻi.

Precipitation
The passage of Hurricane Hone just south of South Pt resulted in above average August rainfall for most of the Big Island.
Hurricane Hone and the remnants of former Hurricane Gilma helped push most rainfall totals above average in Maui County.
Portions of Oʻahu and all of Kauaʻi had below average rainfall for August.

Summary of Impacts
Hydrologic Impacts 
Streamflow levels have increased at many locations from Oʻahu to the Big Island (USGS).
Agricultural Impacts
No new impacts reported. 
Rangelands in leeward areas of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui continue to indicate drought conditions (Hawaiʻi Rangeland Information Portal).
Fire Hazard Impacts
Dry fuels and warmer temperatures in early August continued to help trigger wildfires (multiple news outlets). 
Tropical cyclone-related rainfall have greatly reduced ignitions since late-August. 
Other Impacts
None.
Mitigation Actions
None. The long-lasting Stage 1 Water Shortage for the Upcountry water service area on Maui was rescinded on September 4, 2024 (Maui County Dept. of Water Supply).

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Streamflow levels have increased at most locations from Oʻahu to the Big Island, especially since late August. 
Most of the Kauaʻi gages continued to show below normal flow levels.
The 28-day flow levels were mostly near to below normal on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, but mostly above normal on the Big Island and Maui County.
Image Caption: USGS 14 day average streamflow map.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Climate models favor below normal precipitation across the main Hawaiian Islands well into fall 2024. 
Leeward drought in the west half of the state is expected to persist or worsen through October.
While drought has eased on the Big Island and Maui, expected dry conditions in September and October should maintain severe drought in leeward Maui, and may result in the return of moderate drought on the Big Island.