Hawai‘i Drought Monitor

Drought Information Statement for Hawai‘i

The National Weather Service Honolulu Forecast Office publishes its Drought Information Statement during drought.  This product is updated on a monthly basis or as needed.

National Integrated Drought Information System/U.S. Drought Portal

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is taking the lead in implementing the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The NIDIS Program Office was established at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, in 2007. Implementation of NIDIS included the development of a comprehensive drought information portal offering drought products, tools, regional programs, and resources.

Rainfall Atlas of Hawaii

The Rainfall Atlas of Hawaii is a set of maps of the spatial patterns of rainfall for the major Hawaiian Islands. Maps are available for mean monthly and annual rainfall. The maps represent best estimates of the mean rainfall for the 30-yr base period 1978–2007. The Rainfall Atlas of Hawaii website contains interactive rainfall maps, downloadable files, development methods and the Rainfall Atlas of Hawaii full technical report.

Hawaiian Drought & Climate Research

Drought and Climate Research enhances our understanding of these complex phenomena. This can lead to improved drought forecasting, effective drought mitigation planning and implementation as well as formulation of climate change adaptation strategies to deal with the impacts of climate change on an island community.

• Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (Pacific RISA)
  • Human Dimensions of Drought in Hawaii: Perceptions of and Responses to Drought RIsk by Farmers, Ranchers, and Service Providers
  • Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment
• Outcomes From Integrating Socioeconomic Assessments to Build Community Resilience in Mitigating Drought in Hawaii (University of Hawaii Social Science Research Institute)

National Drought Mitigation Center

The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), established at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1995, helps people and institutions develop and implement measures to reduce societal vulnerability to drought, stressing preparedness and risk management rather than crisis management. The NDMC collaborates with many federal, state, and international agencies and its website contains a multitude of information on drought monitoring, planning and preparedness.

Hydrology in Hawaii

The National Weather Service Honolulu Forecast Office maintains a webpage posting current rainfall data from its statewide Hydronet rain gage network. The webpage also features Monthly Precipitation Summaries with comparative rain gage data and qualitative explanations of pertinent weather events or conditions.