"The months-long stretch of dry weather across Hawaii continued in February, with most sites receiving less than half the average amount of rainfall, the National Weather Service said Monday. Of the 73 sites reporting rainfall for February, 63 reported totals that were less than half the average.
On Maui, the flow of the Wailoa Ditch was down to 45 million gallons a day this morning, a drop of 7 mgd since the day before. Garret Hew of East Maui Irrigation said, ``I think the board (of water supply) was very prudent'' when it decided last week not to suspend the drought emergency Upcountry.It is true that continuing light rains have filled reservoirs and cut demand -- it was 5.2 million gallons Monday, well within the the 10 percent cutback order. And Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar has called back its full planting crews. Two weeks ago, they were put on ``no work offered'' status because there was not enough water available to plant some of the higher fields. But the longer term outlook remains poor. Hew said the rapid fall of the ditch levels means ``obviously the springs (which feed the ditch) are not as charged'' as normal by steady rains in the East Maui watershed.
A typical Hawaii February has showers brought by trade winds, the NWS said. But the trade winds last month were weak or nonexistent because of El Nino, thus causing the low rainfall totals. Most sites included in a weather service survey reported less than 35 percent of the total average rainfall for February.
On Maui, Lahainaluna received .03 inches of rain, or 1 percent its normal 2.7 inches, while Kihei received .09 inches, or 4 percent its normal 2.2 inches.On the Big Island, Pahala received about .07 inches, or 1 percent of its normal 6.1 inches. Parts of both Maui and Hawaii are under drought emergencies, with residents ordered to cut water usage by 10 percent.
Honolulu received .21 inches, or 10 percent of its normal 2.2 inches. But Waianae received only .11 inches, or 5 percent of its normal 2.3 inches. All this followed on a dry January, in Hilo the driest on record."--Blazing Tattles <blazing@igc.apc.org> and <http://www.concentric.net/~blazingt>