7.5 trillion litres of water fell on Hawaii during recent storms
A series of intense storms swept over the island chain in the central Pacific in March
Relentless deluges that struck Hawaii throughout the month of March dropped a tremendous amount of rain on the central Pacific island chain.
A recent analysis found that more than 7.5 trillion litres (2 trillion gallons) of water fell across Hawaii during three weeks of back-to-back storm systems.
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Hawaii endured a series of powerful Kona lows during the first three weeks of March.
These seasonal low-pressure systems set up west of the islands, sending moisture-packed southerly winds into the region for days at a time.
The duo of storms wrung out extensive rains over state's rugged terrain, with each event producing at least 1,500 mm of rain in the hardest-hit areas.
The statewide average rainfall for the month of March came out to around 463.5 mm, according to an analysis by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, which is more than two-and-a-half times the state’s March average of just 174 mm.
One station northwest of Honolulu recorded nearly 500 mm of rain in just 24 hours between March 19-20. Another station on the Big Island recorded a wind gust of 218 km/h at one point.
Runoff from the persistent heavy rain led to destructive flooding on several islands, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes at one point.
Honolulu, the state’s capital, recorded 346 mm of rain during the month of March. This astounding total was nearly six times Honolulu’s average monthly rainfall of 60 mm, and just about 50 mm short of its annual average rainfall of 417 mm.
The state's rainy season usually runs between October and March.