Climate Change Affecting Hawaii Island Storms, Researchers Say

Two university of Hawaii researchers say climate change is affecting rainfall on Hawaii Island.

The researchers say heavy rainstorms are occurring more often on the Big Island.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Ying Chen and Pao-Shin Chu reported their findings in a paper published in the International Journal of Climatology.

The researchers reviewed storms on Hawaii Island over 50 years.

Through 1960, a storm that dumped 12 inches of rain on the Big Island occurred once every 20 years.

That has picked up in recent years. By 2009, stronger storms occurred every three to five years, dumping down more than 16.5 inches of rain.

The study says there’s a need to rethink flood control standards and other guidelines related to rain.

Topics Windstorm Climate Change