(BIVN) – Recent heavy rains in Hawaiʻi have nearly eradicated drought conditions across the Aloha State. 

Just a few months ago, 85% of Hawaiʻi was under Abnormally Dry or Drought conditions. Following two kona low systems in March, that percentage has dropped to less than 30%. 

“In the Hawaiian Islands, the cumulative impact of several significant storm events has erased drought across the island chain,” the U.S. Drought Monitor wrote, “except some areas on the Big Island which have some remaining longer-term deficits as well as areas of dryness showing up on satellite-based vegetation health indices.” 

The only remaining area of D1 Moderate Drought in the State of Hawaiʻi is in the area of Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island. There are also some areas experiencing Abnormally Dry conditions. 

D2 Severe Drought and D3 Extreme Drought conditions are no longer present anywhere in the island state. 

courtesy NOAA and the National Weather Service

The kona low storms produced flash flooding and damaging winds across Hawaiʻi, resulting in a Major Disaster Declaration for the state. 

On Hawaiʻi island, 42.20 inches of rain were recorded at Puʻu Waʻawaʻa from Tuesday, March 10th through Tuesday, March 24th; the highest total on the Big Island during that time period. Heavy rain also fell across Puna and Kaʻū.