A record high temperature in Hilo and historically heavy rainfall in Lihue on Monday capped an August for the ages in local weather.
Temperatures in Hilo hit 89 degrees Monday, tying the previous record high for the date set in 1996. Meanwhile, the 0.69 inch of rain that fell on Lihue shattered the 1993 record of 0.36 inch.
Overall, 37 records for temperature and rainfall were tied or broken in August, a month of unusually extreme weather produced in part by the passing of four hurricanes.
Hilo in particular suffered through some of the worst late-summer weather in memory, with 17 high-temperature records tied or broken. Thanks to tropical depression Hilda, Hilo also recorded two records for maximum daily rainfall on Aug. 13 and 14 (1.88 and 2.42 inches, respectively).
Some of the records matched or broken during the last two weeks went back several decades.
On Aug. 21, Kahului recorded a high temperature of 94 degrees, matching the old record set in 1951.
Three days later 1.46 inches of rain fell on Kahului, shattering the old record of 0.13 inch set in 1957.
On Thursday, Honolulu recorded 1.93 inches of rainfall, breaking the old record of 0.27 inch set in 1947.
High humidity and stormy weather are expected to continue Tuesday as Hurricane Ignacio, the fourth major storm to enter the Central Pacific in the last month, passes to the northeast of the state.
According to the National Weather Service, northerly winds will decrease and gradually shift southerly by midweek, setting up an extended period of humid weather with continued periods of heavy showers heading into the weekend.
