Temperatures should be cooler than last year, but forecasters say students should expect hot classrooms as the 2016-17 school year begins next week.
Temperatures should be cooler than last year, but forecasters say students should expect hot classrooms as the 2016-17 school year begins next week.
The Hilo International Airport recorded mean average temperatures 2.4 degrees above average in July, data from the National Weather Service show. That’s cooler last year, when the average was 3.3 degrees above the a 76.1 mean daily average for the month.
However NWS Meteorologist John Bravender said Hilo has a 50 to 60 percent chance to see above-normal temperatures through the rest of the calendar year thanks to warmer water temperatures left over from El Nino.
“We’re kind of in between El Nino and La Nina,” Bravender said. “It’s neutral conditions right now. This fall doesn’t look as hot as last year, but it’s still expected to be above normal — be prepared for warm and humid conditions.”
The state Department of Education released Wednesday a list of heat illness prevention methods for parents, including sending a water bottle with children to school, dressing them in lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and making sure they have a hat with a brim for protection during outdoor activities.
The department also plans to send home a letter to parents next week that will include tips to help students prepare for hot days.
The DOE is working to install air conditioning units in 1,000 classrooms statewide as part of Gov. David Ige’s initiative to help cool Hawaii’s schools. However only one school on the Big Island — Kahakai Elementary School in Kona — is included in that initial set of schools.
Bravender said temperatures are predicted to fall even more by the beginning of 2017.
“For the first of the year, as we transition to cooler water temperatures, we’ll see outside temperatures ramping down as well,” he said.