Rod Thompson writing in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that on the big island of Hawaii, agricultural production is down as farmers struggle to water their crops. Rainfall in Hilo was only 0.14 inches, instead of the normal 9.88 inches in January.
Since many homes rely on roof runoff for water, the drought means bringing tanks of water home from public spigots or paying contractors to deliver it.
On 3 February, we received this account from Hilo: "You may want to add this item to your El Nino observations. I live in Hilo, Hawai`i, widely reputed to be the rainiest town in the United States. In January, we had virtually no rain at all. Not only was Jan. 1997 the driest January on record, with about 0.13 inches of rain recorded, as opposed to a norm of about 12 inches, it was also the driest month on record -- period. In addition, for the first two weeks of the month, the customary trade winds were absent from the entire Main Hawaiian Island chain. This meant that the volcanic emissions that usually blow out to sea in normal trade wind conditions went nowhere, causing air quality state-wide (but especially in Hilo, near the volcano) to be very poor. In Hilo, sulfur emissions were at one point 60 times their normal levels. People with asthma and other respiratory disorders were suffering, as, indeed, were many who had never before experienced any difficulties associated with poor air quality (including myself). The trade winds have returned, but there is still no sign of rain."--Patricia Tummons <pattum@aloha.net>