Peak gusts Deaths: Property damage . , which made landfall along the southeast shore of Hawaii's Big Island on August 8, 2014 with 60 mph winds. All the islands reported some surf damage along their southwest facing shores, and wind damage was widespread on Kauai. Next. A gust of 53 miles per hour was recorded at South Point. While it is probable One might think that hurricanes are severe threats to the Hawaiian islands, as many islands found in the middle of the Pacific are at high risk of being hit by hurricanes. On average, between four and five tropical cyclones are observed in the Central Pacific every year. Several large waterspouts were sighted off Hapuna Beach in South Kohala. Formal records were not kept before the 1950s. August is the peak month for tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin, chalking up twice as many (74) as September (37) from 1971-2013, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. * August 1993: Hurricane Fernanda brought heavy surf of up to 15 feet on the east facing beaches from the Big Island to Kauai. This includes a few Category 4 eastern Pacific hurricanes that fizzled, such as Felicia (2009),Orlene (1992) and Raymond (1983). Nina moved north and took a sharp turn to the west without actually striking the state. Surf reached 10 feet along the Puna and Kau shorelines. But do you know what else is awesome? Plantation manager, D.D. Technically speaking, hurricanes tend to be pushed away from Hawaii because of a high-pressure zone that normally resides to the northeast of the Islands. Well you can! Just use the promocode VIP20 after clicking on this link:Hawaii Ocean Project Adventures. The storm spurred counties to reevaluate building Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. This is the reality of a meteorological rule of thumb. reversed direction as the eye passed over the Island. August is the peak month, followed by July, then September. Hurricane Iniki. Six died as a result. This is the reality of a meteorological rule of thumb. Cooler sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific waters to the east of the Big Island of Hawaii keep the air somewhat cooler above it, increasing the stability of the atmosphere, making it less susceptible to forming and maintaining thunderstorms. dark * August 1938: A possible tropical cyclone produced heavy wind and rain across the state. * August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. By the way, did you know that you can now save $10/person on our Maui Princess Dinner Cruise or a Snorkel Adventure to the Island of Lanai? These conditions tend to weaken, deflect, or dissipate approaching storms. Miraculously, only six deaths were Slamming into Hawaii in September as a Category 4 major hurricane, claiming the lives of six Hawaii residents. * July 1993: Hurricane Eugene dropped valuable rain on the state as it dissipated. 2000s [48], Wind data in particular supports the USGS assertion that hurricane damage has been low on all islands except for Kauai. By contrast, the warmest month is August averaging 88/64 and 0 days of rain. The islands of Hawaii, with Kauai as the notable exception, appear to be remarkably immune from direct hurricane hits. An example from the Big Island Hawaii typically records four or five hurricanes each year, although as many as 11 have occurred, including during the 1992 and 1994 seasons. Along the southern coast, many structures were wiped out by storm surge flooding and large, battering waves. Virtually every system approaching Hawaii from the east since 1950 tracking at least as far north as the latitude of the Big Island of Hawaii eventually weakened to a tropical storm or depression by the time it reached the islands. Now 22 years later not one, but an unprecedented two hurricanes are making a beeline for the island chain and residents are preparing for a threat they rarely face. In other words, hurricanes aren't even physically possible in Hawaii for over half of the year. before passing directly over Kaua'i on the Historical Hurricane Tracks Let's find a hurricane you're interested in. November 1982: Hurricane Iwa was one of Hawaii's most damaging hurricanes. from year to year, from 0 to a maximum of 16 in 2015. That's not to say. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. 68 mph winds were recorded in Kauai. Follow Andrea Thompson on TwitterCredit: Nick Higgins. When asking why hurricanes rarely reach landfall in Hawaii, it's important to see the big picture. It's been more than two decades since the last hurricane hit the 50th state. This is because water currents bring cooler water from Alaska, down the eastern Pacific Ocean alongthe U.S. West Coast and into the central Pacific. All rights reserved. They've also been known to come from the southwest, but rarely from the northeast or due east, where much cooler water comes down from Alaska on the west coast of North America. down our flume; uprooting large trees, and prostrating our cane fields. Both hit the island of Kauai. By comparison, the Hawaiian Islands are just under 11,000 square miles and the actual landmass is just 6,400 square miles. * September 1972: Hurricane Fernanda may have caused flash flooding near Waipio as it passed to the northeast. July 1957: Hurricane Kanoa, after taking a long journey across the eastern Pacific, became a non-tropical circulation a few miles east of Hawaii. Since 1970, definitive satellite coverage for Tropical storms and hurricanes are rare in the Hawaiian Islands, but 2014 is one of their most active years on record. Since records have been kept starting in 1950, there has not been a hurricane to hit the big island of Hawaii, though tropical storms are common. $3 billion. HURRICANE HIKI August 12, 1950 August 21, 1950 Hurricane Hiki is considered the first official hurricane recorded in the vicinity of the islands, and it is also the wettest tropical. cyclones form in this zone each year with 30% of these storms developing into hurricanes. Damage is unrecorded. Quotes from captains and civilians describe a severe windstorm that ravaged the islands for several hours. I think were prepared as best we can be, Cantin said. Most dangerous hurricanes come from the south. Hurricane Julio, further to the east of Iselle, looks to skirt to the north of the islands but the uncertainty in its track includes the potential to brush Maui and the other islands to the northwest of the Big Island as a tropical storm. Hurricane name Date 1/ Islands most affected: Sustained. [ Q0 fences and trees.". * August 1871: Excerpts from the Hawaiian Gazette described a weather event that at least resembled a tropical cyclone. Although it was only a Category 1 storm, it passed just miles west of Kauai, moving at a speed of nearly 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). * 1992 Iniki 6 Tracks of hurricanes that have come within 200 nautical miles of the Big Island, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauai from 1950 through 2017. The Pacific Ocean is over 62 million square miles and covers over 30% of the earth. The depression then crossed over into the central Pacific Ocean basin to the west of 140W longitude where it became a tropical storm and eventually a powerful hurricane. That rarity is a product of where Hawaii is located. The island of Kauai was especially hard hit by damaging winds. But the state isnt always lucky, and has sustained serious damage from a number of named storms over the years. * August 2009: The remnants of Hurricane Felicia brought light rainfall to the northern islands. * August 2004: The remnants of Hurricane Darby passed over the islands and combined with an upper level trough to create unstable moisture, dropping up to 5 inches of rain in a few hours on the Big Island, causing flooding and road closures. It's quite rare to have two storms right behind each other . Part of the reason this doesn't happen that often is just geography. Virtually every system approaching Hawaii from the east since 1950 tracking at least as far north as the latitude of the Big Island of Hawaii eventually weakened to a tropical storm or depression by the time it reached the islands. Hurricanes hit Hawaii less frequently because of where the islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. Look at the fading tracks of hurricanes approaching from the east. Hurricane landfalls are rare in Hawaii, but brushes by tropical systems are common. It ended up dropping 52 inches of rain, the second highest rainfall total from a tropical cyclone since 1950, behind only Hurricane Harvey's 60 inches on Texas in 2017. Additionally, at total of 52 inches (1321 mm) of rain fell over 4 days in Kauai. track, demolishing Mr. Wright's mill The storm weakened as it moved Lahaina Harbor, Loading Dock Main Booth by Dr Jeff Masters, Weather Underground, October 16, 2014 (excerpt). Three hurricanes struck the island of Kauai hard, including the most. In some areas of the island, palm trees snapped in half, suggesting winds were locally more than 125 mph. The figure below shows a 10-year moving average of tropical cyclone global landfalls from 1950 to . August 1938: Again in August a possible tropical cyclone produced heavy wind and rain in the state. More than three dozen hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, have impacted the Hawaiian islands since 1950, causing at least 12 deaths. There haven't been enough hurricanes and tropical storms since about 1950 when good recordkeeping started for a statistically significant trend, Lin said. Also helping shield Hawaii from tropical systems are the relatively cool waters around the islands, especially to the north and east of the chain. Heavy rains were recorded; the heaviest in years. More than 12 inches fell in 4 hours. Most dangerous hurricanes come from the south. * November 1906: 90 miles south of Honolulu on Nov. 3, 1906, a tropical cyclone was recognized. * July 1982: Hurricane Daniel passed through the islands as a tropical depression, causing little if any damage. * July 1985: Hurricane Ignacio, although missing the islands, generated surf that measured from 10 to 15 feet causing damage to coastal roads and structures. Chapter 11 Hurricanes 4 1971-2005 Tropical Cyclones in the Central Pacific5 Hurricanes Tropical Storms Tropical Depressions Total Total Number 48 57 48 153 Average Per Year 1.4 1.6 1.4 4.4 Percent of All Systems 31% 36% 33% Hurricane tracks around the Hawaiian Islands since 1949.6 Hurricanes are not the only type of storm to cause damage in coastal areas, but they are the According to the NOAA historical hurricane database, from 1950 - 2017, only 14 hurricanes have ever passed within 200 miles of Hawaii. On the 6th, Dot began weakening and at its landfall in Kauai, Dot was only category one. Hawaii has been directly hit by hurricanes only three times since 1950, though the region has had 147 tropical cyclones over that time. A year with an El Nio event, however, can implicate this model. It's this high-pressure zone that keeps Hawaii's weather fairly consistent throughout the year. As pointed out by University of North Carolina - Charlotte graduate student Eric Webb, there was a case of a major hurricane punching through the Big Island and Maui in August 1871, as a January 2018 study uncovered. 1960s Its unprecedented, we dont really have a full grasp for whats going to happen on the other side, Cantin said. It had formed in the eastern . By far the worst storm on record to hit Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki, which was a 145 mph Category 4 hurricane that crossed the island of Kauai on Sept. 10-11, 1992. One person died from Hiki. By summer, those same waters can reach 82 degrees. Finally, if you've ever visited Maui, you're sure to have noticed the wind. Since the 1950s, two hurricane eyes have hit Hawaii - and both approached from the south, where water temperature generally is warm enough to sustain the storms' strength. In other words, a hurricane finding Hawaii is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. (MORE:Fewer Atlantic Hurricanes Expected This Season). Prior to that only two other hurricanes had reached landfall in Hawaii. Usually that ridge of high pressure protects the islands.. 1940s. * August 1999: Hurricane Dora caused minor wind gusts of up to 58 miles per hour on the southern part of Big Island as it passed south of Hawaii. At least 29 people have died in Hawaii as a result of tropical cyclones since 1949. Just use the promocode VIP20 after clicking on this link. 1950s. Two people were injured by lightning. * August 1994: Tropical Depression One-C passed just south of the islands, causing severe flooding in Hilo. * August 1976: Tropical Storm Gwen passed north of Hawaii, dropping 12 inches of rain across the entire state. Hawaii's hurricane season is from June to November of every year, but just how much of a threat to Hawaii are hurricanes? How consistent is the temperature in Lahaina? HELCO Reminds Customers to Prepare for Hurricane Season, Tsunami Evacuation Centers for the Big Island, Hurricane Olivia forecast to enter Hawaiian waters next week, Police warrants list for Friday, November 1, 2019, Civil Defense siren test at 11:45 a.m., Wednesday (April 1). Only two named storms approaching from the east have hit the islands since 1949, an unnamed 1958 tropical storm and Tropical Storm Iselle of 2014, which hit the Big Island. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. * August 1925: High seas and gusty winds were recorded. Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30 each year. waters has been available providing a complete catalog of all tropical cyclones * August 1988: Tropical Storm Gilma moved through the island chain as a depression, dropping locally heavy rainfall of up to 4 inches in some places. In Hawaii, where many people rely on the ocean for their livelihoods (yes, we're raising our hands), this is a sc Hawaii Ocean Project Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014became only the second tropical storm, and the strongest, to landfall on the Big Island dating to 1950. . "[42] This has also drawn media attention. No Dot-related deaths were recorded. Baldwin Figure 2. No further records are available, but extrapolation of its forward movement predicted that it would make landfall on the southern coast of the Big Island. August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. The storm supposedly tracked northward, passing through the. , %*|? LIVE For live storm tracks, please visit the National Hurricane Center. Table 5.53-- MAJOR HURRICANES: 1950 TO 2013 Maximum recorded winds ashore (m.p.h.) [45], A partial source of this idea may be the long list of hurricanes in the above paragraphs that dissipated into tropical storms or depressions upon approaching the islands. Image credit: NOAA/CSC. The mountainous terrain of the islands amplifies the rain threat and contributes to the threat of ensuingflash floodsand mudslides. widespread Deadliest Storms Hurricane name Date 1/ Islands most affected Sustained Peak gusts Deaths Property damage . By the big picture, we mean the Pacific Ocean. The ocean surface temperature is usually near or below 27 C, a threshold for hurricane formation and survival, and wind shear that saps a storm's energy is common over the islands. Hurricanes and tropical storms are normally steered clear of the Hawaiian Islands by a high pressure feature that is typically parked to the northeast of the islands and keeps the weather consistent throughout the year. The mountains are where we'll see the highest rainfall totals and the strongest winds, McNoldy said. * August 1988: Hurricane Uleki approached the state. This number has ranged from zero, most recently as 1979, to as many as eleven in 1992 and 1994. Hurricane expertMichael Lowrysays that dating to 1950, there is a 13 percent increase in the chance of a named storm to track within 100 miles of the Hawaii islands during an El Nio year (35 percent chance) than a neutral year (22 percent chance). about 9 AM when it suddenly lulled into a calm fearfully in contrast with Seeing whales on a whale watch tour is awesome. ENSO episode. Hurricanes approaching from the east typically fall apart before they reach Hawaii due to the cool waters and dry air that lie to the east of the islands. How frequent are hurricanes in Hawaii? * 1950 Hiki 1 Knowledge awaits. heavily damaged structures along the south coast. Tropical Storm Iselle made a direct hit on August 8, Hurricane Julio passed just to the north of the islands a few days later, bringing high surf, and now Hurricane Ana threatens to cause more trouble. Hawaii lies in the central Pacific, where about four or five tropical cyclones appear each year, although as many as fifteen have occurred, such as in the 2015 season; rarely do these storms actually affect Hawaii. Iniki brought winds of 140 miles per hour. * September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. According to the NOAA historical hurricane database, from 1950 - 2017, only 14 hurricanes have ever passed within 200 miles of Hawaii. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is grateful for many near-misses from hurricanes in recent decades. South, and increasing in fury, reached its climax There are several reasons why this happens so often. The only two major hurricanes to have affected the islands since 1949, Hurricane Iniki of 1992 and Hurricane Dot of 1959, both came from the south. 1950s. The storm dissipated near British Columbia. Additionally, over 52 inches (1321 mm) of rain fell over 4 days in Kauai. El Nio years are typically more active in the central Pacific. Although it was only a Category 1 storm, it passed just miles west of Kauai, moving at a speed of nearly 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). 68 mph (110 km/h) winds were recorded in Kauai. Hurricanes approaching from the south represent the biggest danger to the islands, due to the warmer waters and more unstable air present to the south. The hurricane-strength winds are in a fairly compact area, but they could still pack a serious punch, as the islands infrastructure hasnt had to handle such ferocious sustained winds. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. This path exposed Kaua'i to the most severe further damage to fields of pineapple and other crops. Most of the storm damage was done by these falling trees, including knocking down power lines and blocking roads. By this I mean SUSPECTED hurricanes, because the climate history of the Hawaiian Islands does not specifically identify any for this period. "Hurricane Iniki caused nearly $3 billion in damage in Hawaii back in September 1992, which . * July 1994: Hurricane Emilia damaged trees and foliage while passing south of Hawaii. Hawaii typically records four or five hurricanes each. Like 'Iwa, Iniki formed south of Hawai'i during a strong waters The last one. Forecasters expect the tropical storm-force winds of Iselle to begin lashing the Big Island in the late afternoon to early evening local time, with hurricane-force winds following later. During these years, sea surface temperature tends to be higher than average near the Islands and wind shear diminishes. near Hawai'i. But at the end of the day, Lane, like most hurricanes did not reach landfall in Hawaii. especially both as hurricanes! Both hit the island of Kauai. The warmer water also allows for more tropical system formationcloser to Hawaii and across the eastern Pacific. Only two tropical storms have hit the islands since 1949--an unnamed 1958 storm which hit the Big Island, and. August 1958: On August 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of, January 1971: Although not having existed in the Central Pacific as a tropical cyclone, the, September 2005: An upper-level trough which had resulted in the remnants of, July 2016: Moisture associated with the remnants of, July 2016: Large swells as high as 15ft (4.6 m) generated by the remnants of, This page was last edited on 23 November 2022, at 18:17. one of the most severe ENSO years on record. that many of these events were actually organized tropical cyclones, perhaps Since 1950 five hurricanes or tropical storms have caused serious damage in Hawaii. August is the peak month, followed by July, then September. Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014became only the second tropical storm, and the strongest, to landfall on the Big Island dating to 1950. Hurricane expertMichael Lowrysays that dating to 1950, there is a 13 percent increase in the chance of a named storm to track within 100 miles of the Hawaii islands during an El Nio year (35 percent chance) than a neutral year (22 percent chance). The only other storm to do so was in1958. Hurricane Dot (1959) caused damage to Kauai. The last one to. Hawaii may be paradise, but like the Caribbean Sea, hurricanes are part of its history. . Dot brought sustained winds of 81 mph with gusts to 103 mph to Kilauea Light. systems in the South Pacific reverse or weaken. Since 1949, the Hawaiian Islands have received a direct hit from just two hurricanes--Dot in 1959, and Iniki in 1992. (MORE:Southern California Water Temperatures About as Warm as They Get). When tropical cyclones approach Hawaii, they tend to come from the southeast. Vintage music. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. Intense rains over Oahu and Kauai caused flash floods on Kaukonahua Stream and the overflow of Lake Wilson at Wahiawa Dam. codes, with Kaua'i opting for higher standards of construction by requiring Additionally, over 52 inches (1321 mm) of rain fell over 4 days in Kauai. Hurricane landfalls are rare in Hawaii, but brushes by tropical systems are common. High surf with waves of up to 10 feet impacted the eastern side of the Big Island. As the moist air in the storm is pushed up Hawaiis volcanic peaks, it will cool and the water vapor in it will condense, adding to the rain the storm already produces. Historically, Severe property damage was inflicted on the island; up to $250 million (a record for that time). Dr.Knabb, also a former deputy director at NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, points out thatthere is no meteorological reason why the core of a major hurricane can't directly hit Honolulu, resulting in destructive storm surge flooding, wind damage, and rainfall flooding affecting a metro population (minus tourists) of just under 400,000. Hurricane season in Hawaii usually falls between the months of June and November. Drier, more stable air from the subtropical high to the northeast of Hawaii eventually inhibits thunderstorms from persisting and remaining clustered near the cyclone's center. Andrea Thompson, an associate editor at Scientific American, covers sustainability. However, as exemplified by Hurricane Lane, hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, rarely strike the Hawaiian islands directly. Minor power outages and rain made traffic conditions hazardous. Hawaii has been, and will be in the future, hit by hurricanes. Hurricane Iwa's Economic Impact on Hawaii (January 1983); "The History of Hurricanes in Hawaii", Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 18, 1983, p. Of course, this doesn't mean every single storm will do that in the future. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu: 82 miles per hour. [50][51][52], Before Hurricane Iniki in 1992, a standard homeowner's insurance policy with extended coverage provided hurricane coverage. Considered the most catastrophic hurricane in Hawaii history, Iniki originated in 1992, which was also an El Nio year. section of the storm, sweeping the island with 80 mph winds and causing * JulyAugust 1983: Hurricane Gil passed over northern Hawaii as a tropical storm, causing minor damage. It hit the island of Kauai as a Category 4 on September 11, killing six and causing $2 billion in damage. The remnants of Kanoa brought rain. Hawaiian [47]Tropical Storm Flossie (not to be confused with Hurricane Flossie in 2007) provides still another example. * December 19021903: A low pressure system (known later as The Froc Cyclone) took a path similar to that of a tropical cyclone, passing through Kaulakahi Channel in late December 1902. From 1950 through 2021, around 30 hurricanes have passed within 200 nautical miles of the Big Island, Maui, Honolulu or Kauai, according to NOAA's historical hurricane database. This article is reproduced with permission fromClimate Central. This number has ranged from zero, most recently as 1979, to as many as eleven in 1992 and 1994. About two-thirds of those systems drift westfrom the eastern Pacific basin. building and a large portion of the thatched houses in the district; throwing cause major wind damage. to the north, and towering ghostly white clouds nearby to the west". Iselle grew into a powerful Category 4 hurricane and took aim at Hawai'i in early August, 2014.