While long-term data shows that Hawaiʻi is getting drier overall, short, intense downpours that cause sudden, dangerous flash floods are getting stronger in the islands, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
While long-term data shows that Hawaiʻi is getting drier overall, short, intense downpours that cause sudden, dangerous flash floods are getting stronger in the islands, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Published in the International Journal of Climatology, the research from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is the first comprehensive study to analyze extreme hourly rainfall patterns across the state over 50 years (1966–2020). The team examined decades of hourly data from 117 rain gauges across Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, uncovering climate trends that traditional 24-hour daily averages often miss.
Bursts of Intense Rain
In steep, mountain-filled tropical watersheds like Hawaiʻi’s, bursts of intense rain lasting one to six hours can overwhelm stream channels and storm drains before emergency alerts are even issued.
Read More: University of Hawaii
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