Drought Information Statement for the Main Hawaiian Islands 
Valid February 12, 2026
Issued By: WFO Honolulu, HI
Contact Information: w-hfo.webmaster@noaa.gov
This product will be updated March 12, 2026 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  

Significant windward rainfall statewide. Drought improvement over windward Maui County and the Big Island.

U.S. Drought Monitor
A cold front brought significant rainfall, mainly to windward areas, in early February. This led to some improvement in streamflow and drought conditions along windward portions of Maui, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island. Drought in leeward and interior Maui County and Big Island largely unchanged.

Drought intensity and Extent
D3 (Extreme Drought): Remains over a portion of the Hāmākua District of Big Island, as well as the central valley and portions of Upcountry Maui, but reduced in areal coverage. 
D2 (Severe Drought): Remains over leeward areas of Molokaʻi (reduced area), all remaining areas of Maui except the eastern end, and portions of the windward districts of the Big Island, though scaled back in area. 
D1 (Moderate Drought): Remains over eastern leeward coast of Oʻahu and most of the rest of Maui County and Big Island not under D0, D2, or D3. 
D0: (Abnormally Dry): Windward portions of Maui County and the Big Island, portions of the South Kohala and Kona Districts of the Big Island, as well as  portions of coastal Oʻahu.
None: All of Niʻihau and Kauaʻi, as well as the rest of Oʻahu.

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
Link to the latest 4-week change map for the main Hawaiian Islands
One Week Drought Monitor Class Change.
One-category improvements over windward portions of Oʻahu, Maui County, and the Big Island, as well as western Molokaʻi.
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change.
Same changes as on the one-week map
Small slivers of one-category degradations in eastern Oʻahu, central Maui, and northern Big Island.
No Change: Rest of the state.

Precipitation
January rainfall focused mainly along windward slopes
Windward and SE portions of the Big Island picked up the most rain statewide due to the early January kona low with dominant south and southeasterly winds concentrating rainfall in those areas. 
Several areas of the state still running below average on rainfall, mostly leeward and interior portions of Maui County and the Big Island.
Most of Maui County and leeward Big Island still struggling for significant rainfall in the long term, though a dent was made in that deficit with early February rain.

Summary of Impacts
Hydrologic Impacts 
West Maui continues Stage 2 water shortage since 9/4/25 (includes prohibition of non-essential commercial and industrial water use and severely limited irrigation allowances). Upcountry Maui remains at a Stage 1 water shortage as of 11/12/25. 
Agricultural Impacts
Ongoing: Poor range conditions across the Big Island, with supplemental feeding required and persistent water shortages, especially in Hāmākua and Kaʻu districts. Ranchers weaning cattle early and destocking cows due to lack of available pasture feed, as well as having to haul water in and move cattle to Kona district for better grazing conditions. Many reports cite not seeing conditions like this since around 2008. 
Fire Hazard Impacts
None.
Other Impacts
None.
Mitigation Actions
Big Island: After a brief improvement to a Water Conservation Notice for South Kohala-Lālāmilo (10% reduction in water use) in late January, that area is back under a Mandatory Water Restriction Notice (25% reduction in water use, 50% reduction for irrigation customers). Maui County: Mandatory Tier 3 (60% reduction in use) conservation continues for Kapalua (West Maui) with non-potable water irrigation allowed, despite intermittent rain, due to flow levels in the Honokohau stream remaining short of DLNR-CWRM standards. 

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
The 14-day streamflow levels were mostly near to above normal across the island chain, mostly due to more beneficial rains in February thus far.
The 28-day streamflow levels (not shown here) were largely the same as the more recent flows, though not quite as far above normal as the recent levels from good rainfall in January and February.

Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought is expected to improve or end over most of the state over the next 3 months.
Probabilities continue to favor above normal precipitation due to lingering La Niña effects over much of the state (greatest chances for western half of island chain), despite a forecast for transition to ENSO-neutral ocean conditions over the next few months.