How to stay safe in Maui’s record-high heat, drought: ‘It’s going to be hot for a while’
HONOLULU — As Maui currently faces record-breaking high temperatures and “drier than average” drought conditions, residents and visitors are being warned to “take precautions,” according to a Hawaii-based hydrologist with the National Weather Service.
On Thursday, Maui hit its seventh record-high temperature for August – a scorching 94 degrees in Kahului, located on the north side of the island.
Over the summer, the island has been seeing very little rainfall, causing “lower recharge of the island’s aquifers,” according to a press release by the Department of Water Supply. Even once rainfall begins again, it’ll take “some time to rebuild groundwater storage.” As a result, there have been “persistent” droughts now affecting 76.4% of people in Maui County.
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Maui’s dry season
“Historically, Maui has always had periods of drought,” Adam Mundy, administrative officer at the Department of Water Supply, County of Maui, said. The droughts often start toward the end of June and last until the rainy season, which starts around October, he said.
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“Every year, it does get more and more severe,” he added.
Kevin Kodama, hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said this summer has been “drier than average” and the hot weather is going to continue through September.
“It’s going to be hot for a while,” he told USA TODAY. “We’re not expecting any significant relief anytime soon.”
A warning to visitors
Although residents are used to the dry and wet seasons in Maui, visitors should also do their part to conserve water and be careful. “We do tell visitors to be mindful and a lot of the hotels do call and say, hey, what can we do,” Munday said.
“When you’re on vacation, you may not think about it as much, you think Hawaii is always nice but you can still have heat-related issues,” Kodama said.
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Here are some tips for people on how to enjoy Maui while still being safe and mindful of the weather:
- Stay hydrated and bring lots of water or electrolytes when you venture outside. “Be aware that the humidity and the heat combined can make it tough,” Kodama said.
- Watch your fire sources. “Because of the drought, vegetation is kind of dry so there’s a fire risk,” Kodama said. “Be careful if you’re grilling.”
- If you’re staying at a hotel, reduce the number of times your linens are changed. Some hotels, like the Kaanapali Beach Hotel are only washing bed linens every three days and won’t replace your towel if it’s not on the ground.
- It’s currently the hottest time of year on Maui, Kodama said, so use sunscreen and find shade as much as possible when outside.
- During high heat, the National Weather Service warns to never leave children or pets in cars.
- Plan your hike or beach day accordingly and go early before the heat of day, which is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to National Parks Service.