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University researchers outline Hawaii Mesonet and climate portal as tools to track drought and wildfire risk
Summary
Researchers described an expanding statewide Mesonet (73 of planned 110 stations installed) and an automated Climate Data Portal that produces daily and monthly maps for rainfall, temperature, SPI and wildfire ignition probability. They requested stable recurring funding to maintain stations and data services.
University researchers briefed the commission on the Hawaii Mesonet and the Hawaii Climate Data Portal (HCDP), a statewide monitoring and data platform that aggregates automated station data and produces high‑resolution daily and monthly climate maps to support drought, wildfire and water management.
Dr. Thomas (presenting) said the Mesonet’s equipment cost was funded largely by the National Science Foundation and that the network’s design emphasizes high‑quality sensors, five‑minute scanning and 15‑minute telemetry. "We wanted to produce a network that is spatially comprehensive, has high temporal resolution and uses high‑quality sensors," he said, noting the portal provides station dashboards and downloadable records.
HCDP products now include updated daily rainfall and temperature maps, standardized precipitation index (SPI) for drought monitoring, NDVI vegetation indices, and a wildfire ignition probability product. Dr. Thomas said the portal is automated: monthly and daily maps are regenerated as soon as new data arrive and users can request station‑specific time series and reports.
The presenters asked the commission and state policymakers to consider stable recurring funding to maintain the network and portal; they estimated recurring costs of about $1.5 million per year if federal project funding were not available. Dr. Thomas said current support includes roughly $300,000 per year from the Commission and roughly $1.1 million from federal grants that may not be permanent.
Commissioners and staff discussed potential funding sources and applications: green‑fee funds, dedicated state general‑fund support, and incorporation of HCDP data into county water plans. The commission agreed the portal is a valuable tool for near‑real‑time decisionmaking and encouraged outreach to county planning and water departments so consultants and decisionmakers use the resource.
Next steps: presenters will provide detailed maintenance cost breakdowns; staff will discuss funding and outreach options.
