Rising pacific temperature
Forecasters expect high temperatures in the north Pacific will continue to pump heat into Hawaii's waters well into October.
"Temperatures have been warm for quite a long time," Gove said. "It's not just how hot it is — it's how long those ocean temperatures stay warm."
Ocean temperatures are not uniformly warm across the state, Gove noted. Local wind patterns, currents and even features on land can create hot spots in the water.