The Hawaiian “Tropical Express” has been getting worse over the last many decades. The normal trade winds often give way to this surge of weather, which passes thru the islands. Often the storms continue on and hit the mainland US. When this happens it looks on the weather radar like a very big storm on it’s way to LA, but usually it has already left a very wet day on one of our islands not to far away.

As Hawaii, got slammed during the last Tropical Express storms and it affected the crops there, of which agriculture is quite a big industry. It very much affected any Leafy crop. Leaving many such crops in fair to poor condition due to cold. The fruit and vine crops remained in fair condition, but not without a toll. On the Big Island they need rain big time. These continuous rainstorms very much helped the leeward side of the island. The Kona districts received much needed water and they need the fresh water since the construction and growth has over grown water storage capacity. Sound familiar? Maui was also very cool and wet, which will keep it quite lush for future visits and water golf courses. On Kauai, the weather did cause crop problems. So you are wondering what the specific crops crops are in the Hawaiian Islands?

You see some crops like lots of water and it actually helps for instance bananas like rain. On Waianae and Windward Oahu fields were in mostly fair to good condition. Central Oahu orchards were in good condition with moderate harvest. The Eastern Hawaii Island orchards were in only fair shape. Papayas like hard rain less than bananas do, however the of Big Island and on Kauai things are just okay. Chinese cabbage can handle heavy rains and help as it cut back need for normal irrigation. The Waimea crop is in somewhat and relatively good condition. Head cabbage can be hurt by such rain and Cucumbers as well; Wet weather hinders development and harvest. It grows on the windward side and Central Oahu, which showed issues from the storms.

There are disease issues now on the windward side Oahu fields. Sweet corn had issues, which can grow well on the on windward side of Oahu and new planting is now going on due to cloudy, wet conditions. Current harvests of sweet corn were not so good due to small and the many empty ears. Maui onions really need more dry weather so this was bad news for onions and the Department of Agriculture in Hawaii declared this crop in marginally fair condition. Older fields and fields being harvested suffered increased damage from rot and overall poor quality as the Hawaiian Ag website showed. Lettuce was hit on Oahu supplies are expected to be at light levels. Crop condition with storms and the seasonal cloudy, wet weather is over all in just okay shape. These are all issues as Hawaii’s economy is trying to move back to prosperity and is having a bit of a problem.

Adverse weather affects our crop production rates and these trends will affect human civilizations more and more as the climate continues to change. Think on this.