Attacking Showers

This was a situation where IMC flew into me, not the other way around

I had read Richard Taylor’s article “IFR for VFR Pilots” [Instrument Check, May] when I encountered the following situation:

Returning to Honolulu from Molokai, the weather was gorgeous, except for a 2,500-foot overcast as we got closer to the Class B airport. It was a “Kona” day, meaning the winds were coming opposite the normal “tradewind” direction, and the runways were reversed.

This means the general aviation approach is to runway 22, with the mountains rising behind you on final. I was VFR, and given discretion on altitude plus an early landing clearance. Visibility was over 10 miles under 2,500, but there were rain pockets beyond the airport, which were thick but isolated, and...