Leeward areas of the Big Island already are showing the shift toward the summer wet season, but the windward side, which is entering the dry season, continues to be drier than normal.
The vast majority of the island is in moderate drought. A north-central and northwest portion of the island is in severe drought, while a sliver of the southwestern Ka‘u coastline is in extreme drought.
Nowhere is the drought more in evidence than at Ka Lae, also known as South Point, which received only 0.21 inches of rain during April, 9% of its average for the month.
“The windward side didn’t get a lot of rain. There were worsening drought conditions around Waimea and up through North Kohala. There were also worsening drought conditions in Ka‘u,” said Will Ahue, a National Weather Service Honolulu forecaster.
Waimea received only 1.44 inches of rain last month, just 23% of its April average. Always arid Waikoloa measured just 0.75 inches, a quarter-inch less than its April norm.
Most of North Kona and South Kona and a portion of western Ka‘u is listed as abnormally dry by the NWS.
“The April averages were generally pretty low throughout the area,” Ahue said.
Three of the four official Kona coffee belt gauges registered above-average rainfall in April, with Waiaha leading the way at 8.7 inches, more than twice its normal April rainfall.
Kainaliu recorded 7.99 inches, 87% of its usual rainfall for the month, while Kealakekua reported 7.27 inches, 66% higher than average. Honaunau, at 3.99 inches, received 91% of its normal April rainfall.
Other leeward locations experienced what is, for them, a wet April. Ahumoa measured 6.5 inches, thrice its April norm. At 6.15 inches, Puu Waawaa had 2.5 times its usual April rainfall. Puuanahulu tallied 2.64 inches — exactly its April average.
The gauge at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keahole recorded 1 inch for the month, 59% higher than its normal arid April. Kaupulehu and Kaloko-Honokohau received 1.27 inches and 1.52 inches, respectively, slightly below the April average in both spots.
Rainfall totals for 2025 through the end of April were near to below average at most of the rain gauges across much of the Big Island, except for the Kona slopes which received up to 150% of their averages for the year so far.
Not a single spot in East Hawaii received its average rainfall for the month. Many of the windward gauges struggled to reach 30% of their April averages. In North Hilo, Laupahoehoe posted its lowest April total on record — 0.99 inches, a paltry 6% of its April average.
Hilo International Airport measured 3.37 inches for the month, 36% of its average, while in lower Puna, Pahoa posted 3.86 inches of rain for the month, 32% of its norm.
Vern Inouye, a co-owner of Puna Flower Power, a Keaau orchid farm dependent upon rain catchment, said last month was tough and “it was getting a little scary, a week or 10 days ago.”
Inouye said that recent rains in East Hawaii, while still below average levels, were sufficient to fill the greenhouses’ catchment tanks.
Upslope, Waiakea Uka had 3.57 inches, just 18% of its April average. Even the upper Puna rainforest spots reported what, for them, are levels indicating moderate drought. Glenwood posted 5.37 inches for the month, while Mountain View recorded 3.94 inches — just 24% of an average April rainfall for both locations.
“You look at year-to-date totals, you’re generally looking at 50% or less across those areas,”Ahue said.
Eastern Ka‘u, which includes most of the district’s coffee farms, experienced normal or close-to-normal April rainfall.
Pahala received 4.21 inches, 8% above average, Kapapala Ranch reported 4.88 inches, 35% higher than its April norm, and Kahuku Ranch measured a shade under 5 inches, 78% higher than average for April.
Asked if, with the dry season upon the windward side, prospects are good for a lessening of the drought, Ahue replied, “Probably not.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
