Hawaii's main weather radar, which serves Oahu and Maui County, was offline during a series of powerful storms this month, leaving forecasters without a critical prediction tool. The Molokai radar also covers Oahu, Lanai, most of Maui, and parts of Hawaii Island. The National Weather Service's Thomas Vaughan, a senior forecaster, said other radars are available but not ideal. The first Doppler radar in Hawaii was commissioned in 1997 and is located at an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet. State Sen. Lynn DeCoite, who lives in Molokia, said accurate information could have saved residents who were caught off guard due to the lack of accurate information. The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for maintaining all of Hawaii's weather radars and did not immediately respond to questions about why the Molokay radar is down frequently.