2 Rain Questions

[descodave]

First, have we gotten ALOT of rain these last couple of months compared to normal ?!!! 
Second, is it just us or do others of you get allergy type symptoms (runny nose & sneezing) when we get a lot of rain?

[TomK]

We're entering a La Nina winter, so increased rainfall is to be expected in Hawaii. We've had some pretty dry years recently, but the rainfall in the last few weeks is not unusual, at least if you consider the climate over a long period.

As for allergies, I experience the same thing when it's wet these days. I can't find the article now, but from what I remember, heavy rainfall breaks up pollen into smaller pieces, so you end up with a lot more pollen particles in the air.

[Obie]

"When raindrops hit the ground and break up clumps of pollen into smaller particles, those particles quickly spread out. This then leads to a sudden increase in allergy and allergic asthma symptoms during rain showers. This occurs frequently during heavy downpours."


https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-hea...ake-worse/

[randomq]

I suspect mold is having a great time with all this humidity as well. I've noticed the hand towels hanging in our bathrooms never really dry out, and have to be replaced more often...

[Or1on]

Yes RandomQ.  I believe that is the answer to descodave's question.  Mold.  That is what is the likely cause of increased allergies.  Smaller amounts of the various types of Puna molds we normally tolerate but when the weather is miserable, like this, it exacerbates our issues.  I have lived here a long time, 40 years+ and we have had wetter times but this year has been quite soggy and dreary.

[loffelkopffl]

what I have really noticed is that the winters seem to be much colder in the last five years(upper puna/Mt. View) not sure if it's just me or a fact

[Carey]

While rain may break up pollen, a much more prevalent issue on our island is that rain, seeping into the ground increases VOG (things like the Steam Vent area of HAVO really pump on rainy days), add to that the increased eruption emission production at the summit with the new eruption & many folks are noticing their sinuses!
https://hilo.hawaii.edu/natural-hazards/vog/
It is hard to believe, but we actually have been really drier than normal much of this year... so maybe this is just a way of getting back to ʻnormalʻ!
To check out this, just clink on this link & 1. select ʻHiloʻ 2. select ʻMonthly summarized dataʻ 3. ʻ2021-09ʻ for the range 4 ʻgoʻ & you will get a multi year chart with 2021 near the bottom right with the ʻMean" ʻMaxʻ & ʻMinʻ
https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=hfo

[TomK]

This is just a personal opinion, but I'm not convinced Vog is the issue. In the last four or five years, I've developed hay fever-like symptoms that aren't correlated with Vog. It is an interesting hypothesis nevertheless. As for rainfall, I completely agree. Anyone new to the island or Puna may think the last few years are normal, but they aren't. Heavy rainfall used to be normal this time of year but in the last few years that hasn't happened as frequently as it used to. I'm sure a certain group of people here will get upset about this, but it's likely due to climate change.

[Durian Fiend]

what I have really noticed is that the winters seem to be much colder in the last five years(upper puna/Mt. View) not sure if it's just me or a fact

I've felt the same way.   

Regarding rain, at my location the current tally is 153" for the year.  That is not below normal.  Last year was 206", definitely above average.

[Carey]

Not positive on MtView, but the data on Hilo shows that the monthly temps have gone up - follow the instructions on my earlier reply & on #3 also change to Variable to "Ave Temp" & you can see that the average temps for most every moth has been higher that the mean.... in Hilo....wich is the closest National weather station to Mt View...
https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=hfo