HILO — Hawaii Island had a near- to below-average year for rainfall in 2017, with most rain gauges posting just shy of the norm.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu said windward areas and Kona slopes recorded mainly “near average” totals while areas in Ka‘u and interior parts of the Big Island were mostly below average.
Hilo International Airport recorded 105.15 inches for the year, which is 83 percent of average.
Pahoa registered 95.60 inches, 70 percent of its average; Hakalau recorded 74.57 inches, or 96 percent of average; Glenwood 146.04 inches, or 63 percent of average; and Laupahoehoe recorded 84.39 inches, 59 percent of average.
Kawainui Stream registered 173.54 inches, which is 128 percent of its yearly average and the highest available total islandwide for 2017.
The Kona International Airport registered 12.67 inches, or 69 percent of average; South Point 16.29 inches, 48 percent of average; Pahala 40.58 inches, 71 percent of average; Kealakekua 59.17 inches, 105 percent of average; Mauna Loa 11.16, 45 percent of average; and Waikoloa 7.83 inches, 62 percent of average.
Early last year, forecasters were eying a developing El Nino weather pattern that had potential to ramp up cyclone activity and bring more rain during the summer months. El Nino never developed, however. Conditions instead reverted to neutral, which brought dry summer weather and drought conditions to most all areas of the island.
Hawaii’s hurricane season also was unusually mild with just two storms recorded in the central Pacific basin, neither of which came close to Hawaii nor had an impact on the state.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
