A Hawaiian hurricane is a

tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...

. 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 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

season; rarely do these storms actually affect Hawaii. Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes.

Extratropical cyclones Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...

are also common, causing considerable damage; they are known as

Kona storm Kona storms (also called Kona lows) are a type of seasonal cyclone in the Hawaiian Islands, usually formed in the winter from winds coming from the westerly "kona" (normally leeward) direction. They are mainly cold core cyclones, which places the ...

s, but are not included in counts of hurricanes.

List of tropical cyclones

This list contains every tropical cyclone that had a somewhat notable effect on the

State of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

Pre–1950

*September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. On September 23, a German ship recorded a cyclone (known later as the "Cyclone of the Lark") near 17°N and 141°W. 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 of Hawaii. *August 9, 1871: Indigenous newspapers record a major category 3 hurricane causing significant damage across the islands of

Hawai'i Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

and

Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...

. *November 1874: In November, a possible tropical cyclone may have dropped over of rain on

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

, and southerly gales destroyed 23 homes and damaged at least 50. *December 1902–03: A low-pressure system (known later as "The Froc Cyclone") that took a path similar to that of a tropical cyclone, passed through Kaulakahi Channel in late December 1902. No records of unusual weather were recorded, so the storm was likely still forming as it crossed Hawaii. *October 1906: In October a tropical cyclone passed about south of South Point. Heavy rains were recorded; "the heaviest in years". A little over fell in 4½ hours. *November 1906: south of Honolulu on November 3, 1906, a tropical cyclone was recognized. The storm supposedly tracked northward, passing through the

Kauai channel In an archipelago like the Hawaiian Islands the water between islands is typically called a '' channel'' or ''passage''. Described here are the channels between the islands of Hawaiʻi, arranged from northwest to southeast. Kaulakahi Channel ...

. This cyclone must have been abnormally small or very weak, because climatological records show no unusual rainfall, wind,

surge Surge means a sudden transient rush or flood, and may refer to: Science * Storm surge, the onshore gush of water associated with a low-pressure weather system * Surge (glacier), a short-lived event where a glacier can move up to velocities 100 t ...

, or low pressure. The storm dissipated near

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. *August 1925: In August high seas and gusty winds were recorded in Hawaii from a nearby tropical cyclone. *August 1938: Again in August a possible tropical cyclone produced heavy wind and rain in the state.

1950s

*August 1950:

Hurricane Hiki Hurricane Hiki was the third-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States, behind Hurricane Lane in 2018, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. It was also considered the first official hurricane in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands. The f ...

passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. winds were recorded in

Kauai Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...

. Additionally, at total of 52 inches (1321 mm) of rain fell over 4 days in Kauai. One person died from Hiki. *July 1957:

Hurricane Kanoa The 1957 Pacific hurricane season was a moderately active year in which 13 tropical cyclones formed. The hurricane season ran through the summer and fall months which conventionally delimit the period during which most tropical cyclones form in t ...

, after taking a long journey across the eastern Pacific, became a non-tropical circulation a few miles east of Hawaii. The remnants of Kanoa brought welcomed rain. *November 1957: Hurricane Nina was a

Category 1 hurricane Category, plural categories, may refer to: Philosophy and general uses *Categorization, categories in cognitive science, information science and generally *Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) *Category (Kant) *Categories (Peirce) *C ...

that formed in November south of Hawaii. Nina moved north and took a sharp turn to the west without actually striking the state. Nina's closest approach to land, which was relatively far off the coast, was only about southwest of Kauai. Nina caused about $100,000 damage in Kauai and dropped over of rain in 14 hours. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in

: . Nina killed four people throughout the islands. *August 1958: On August 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of

Hilo Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...

. It moved across the islands, dropping considerable rainfall and causing about $500,000 of damage, before dissipating. *August 1959: Hurricane Dot was another powerful August arrival. Dot entered the Central Pacific as a Category 4 hurricane just south of Hawaii. On August 5, Dot seemed to turn more northwest, aiming it directly at Kauai. On the 6th, Dot began weakening, and at its landfall in Kauai, Dot was only a Category 1 hurricane. Despite being greatly weakened, the hurricane brought gusts of over . In some areas of the island,

palm tree The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees ...

s snapped in half, suggesting winds were locally over . Damages from Dot cost no more than a few million dollars, and rainfall was relatively light; around . No Dot-related deaths were recorded.

1960s

*September 1963: Tropical Storm Irah crossed the islands as a

tropical depression A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

, bringing winds, but caused little damage. *August 1966:

Hurricane Connie Hurricane Connie was a Category 4 hurricane that contributed to significant flooding across the eastern United States in August 1955, just days before Hurricane Diane affected the same general area. Connie formed on August 3 from a tropical ...

brought heavy rain to Big Island and

without making landfall.

1970s

*August 1970:

Tropical Storm Maggie The name Maggie has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, two in the northwest Pacific Ocean and one in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Maggie has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Tr ...

passed just south of the Big Island, dropping nearly of rain. *January 1971: Although not having existed in the Central Pacific as a tropical cyclone, the

extratropical low Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...

that was Tropical Storm Sarah in the West Pacific passed over Hawaii in mid January, causing high winds and heavy rain. *July 1971:

Hurricane Denise The name Denise has been used for four tropical cyclones world wide, three in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and one in the South-West Indian Ocean. It also has been used in one European windstorm. * Tropical Storm Denise (1967), weak tropical storm t ...

dissipated before reaching Hawaii, but brought beneficial rain of over one inch to dry farms and

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

s. Denise's outer winds helped

Sheila Scott Sheila Christine Scott OBE (nee Hopkins; 27 April 1922 – 20 October 1988) was an English aviator who broke over 100 aviation records through her long distance flight endeavours, which included a "world and a half" flight in 1971. On this fl ...

while she was flying solo around the world and a boat named ''Winward Passage'' won the

Transpacific Yacht Race The Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac) is a biennial offshore yacht race held in odd-numbered years starting off the Pt. Fermin buoy in San Pedro, California and ending off Diamond Head in Hawaii, a distance of around . In even-numbered years the P ...

. Both were headed to Honolulu. *August 1972:

Hurricane Diana Hurricane Diana was a deadly tropical cyclone which struck Mexico in August 1990. The fourth named storm and second hurricane of the season, Diana developed from a tropical wave in the southwestern Caribbean on August 4. Forming as a tro ...

dissipated a few miles off shore of the Big Island, dropping over of rain in some parts. *September 1972: Hurricane Fernanda may have caused flash flooding near

Waipio Waipio () is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Ewa District of the island of Oahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In Hawaiian, ''wai pio'' means "curved water". As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a populat ...

as it passed to the northeast. *August 1976:

Tropical Storm Gwen The name Gwen has been used for seven tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of t ...

passed north of Hawaii, dropping of rain across the entire state. *July 1978:

Hurricane Fico Hurricane Fico was the longest-lived hurricane of the 1978 Pacific hurricane season and became the longest-lasting Pacific hurricane on record, a record broken by Hurricane Tina fourteen years later. The sixth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, ...

created waves, felled trees and knocked out power across the islands.

1980s

*July 1982: Hurricane Daniel passed through the islands as a tropical depression, causing little if any damage. *November 1982:

Hurricane Iwa Hurricane Iwa, taken from the Hawaiian language name for the frigatebird (iwa, lit. "Thief"), was at the time the costliest hurricane to affect the state of Hawaii. Iwa was the twenty-third tropical storm and the twelfth and final hurricane of the ...

was one of Hawaii's most damaging hurricanes. Although it was only a category 1 storm, it passed just miles west of

, moving at a speed of nearly . Severe property damage was inflicted on the island; up to (a record for that time). Iwa was the most damaging hurricane to ever hit Hawaii until

Hurricane Iniki Hurricane Iniki ( ; Hawaiian: ''iniki'' meaning "strong and piercing wind") was the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaii in recorded history. Forming on September 5, 1992, during the strong 1990–1995 El Niño, Iniki was one of eleven Centr ...

took over the title 10 years later. *July–August 1983: Hurricane Gil passed over northern Hawaii as a tropical storm, causing minor damage. *October 1983: Hurricane Raymond took a path similar to Gil's, but as a depression, causing no damage. *July 1985: Hurricane Ignacio, although missing the islands, generated surf that measured from causing damage to coastal roads and structures. Only light rain was reported. *July 1986: Waves caused by Hurricane Estelle caused in damage when they destroyed five houses and damaged several others. Two people on

Oahu Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...

drowned in rough surf. *August 1988: Tropical Storm Gilma moved through the island chain as a depression, dropping locally heavy rainfall of up to in some places. *August 1988: Hurricane Uleki approached the state. Two drownings on Oahu were attributed to rough surf caused by the hurricane. *July 1989: Hurricane Dalilia dropped heavy rains over Hawaii, setting a new July record for

Honolulu International Airport Daniel K. Inouye International Airport , also known as Honolulu International Airport, is the main airport of Oahu, Hawaii.North Shore.

1990s

*August 1991: Hurricane Fefa dissipated shortly before landfall. Two people were injured by lightning. Locally strong wind gusts reached at some localities, mainly over

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

and

. Some heavy downpours occurred, particularly on the Big Island. Localized flash flooding was reported in the Kohala and Hamakua districts. *July 1992:

Hurricane Georgette The name Georgette has been used for eleven tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. One of these crossed into the Western Pacific Ocean where it degraded into a tropical wave then regenerated into a severe tropical storm. * Tropical Storm ...

brought locally squally winds over the state as a depression. Several large waterspouts were sighted off Hapuna Beach in the South Kohala district. *September 1992:

caused more damage than any other hurricane to affect Hawaii since records began. It hit the island of

as a Category 4 on September 11. Iniki caused $3.1 billion in damage, mainly to Kauai. It remains the costliest East/Central Pacific hurricane on record. Six died as a result. Iniki brought winds of . *September 1992: Hurricane Orlene struck Hawaii as a tropical depression causing heavy rainfall, washing out roads, shortly after Iniki ravaged the island. *July 1993:

Hurricane Eugene Hurricane Eugene may refer to: * Tropical Storm Eugene (1981) – a weak storm that did not affect land * Hurricane Eugene (1987) – Category 2 storm that made landfall south of Manzanillo, Mexico Manzanillo () is a city and seat of Manzanillo ...

dropped valuable rain on the state as it dissipated. Minor power outages and rain made traffic conditions hazardous. One fisherman was reported missing. *August 1993: Hurricane Fernanda brought heavy surf of up to on the east facing beaches from the Big Island to Kauai. Wave heights between was reported on Kauai. Shoreline roads on all islands were damaged and some homes flooded. *July 1994: Tropical Storm Daniel dumped of rain over the windward slopes of Big Island. Moderate surf of up to affected the east and southeast shorelines on the Big Island. *July 1994:

Hurricane Emilia The name Emilia has been used for eight tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Tropical Storm Emilia (1978) – never affected land. * Tropical Storm Emilia (1982) – never affected land. * Tropical Storm Emilia (1988) – never affect ...

damaged trees and foliage while passing south of Hawaii. Surf reached along the Puna and Kau shorelines. *July 1994: The remnants of Tropical Storm Fabio brought heavy showers to Big Island and Oahu. Rainfall accumulated to . *August 1994: Tropical Depression One-C passed just south of the islands, causing severe flooding in Hilo. *August 1999:

Hurricane Dora Hurricane Dora was the first tropical cyclone on record to make landfall over the Atlantic coast of North Florida at hurricane intensity. The sixth tropical storm and second hurricane of the 1964 season, Dora developed from a tropical wave nea ...

caused minor wind gusts of up to on the southern part of Big Island as it passed south of Hawaii.

2000s

*August 2000: Hurricane Daniel passed north of the islands, bringing a few thunderstorms but no significant flooding. High surf with waves of up to impacted the eastern side of the

island of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of th ...

. *August 2003: Hurricane Jimena brought up to of rain as it passed the Big Island. High surf with heights of up to were reported on the windward sections of Big Island. A gust of was recorded at South Point. *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 of rain in a few hours on the Big Island, causing flooding and road closures. Rainfall up to was also reported in Oahu. *September 2005: An upper-level trough which had resulted in the remnants of Hurricane Jova brought unstable conditions to Hawaii, allowing locally heavy rainfall to occur. *September 2005: The remnants of

Hurricane Kenneth The name Kenneth has been used for four tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and one in the South-West Indian Ocean. In the Eastern Pacific: * Hurricane Kenneth (1993) – Category 4 hurricane that did not affect land. * Hurricane Ke ...

brought locally heavy rainfall, with up to falling on the Big Island of Hawaii. Intense rains over Oahu and Kauai caused flash floods on Kaukonahua Stream and the overflow of Lake Wilson at Wahiawa Dam. Flash floods occurred on Hanalei River forcing the closure of Kuhio Highway. *August 2007: Hurricane Flossie passed within of the Big Island of Hawaii bringing rain and tropical storm-force winds to the island. *August 2008: The remnants of

Hurricane Hernan The name Hernan has been used for seven tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Tropical Storm Hernan (1984) - Minimal tropical storm with no effect on land * Hurricane Hernan (1990) – High-end Category 4 hurricane, didn't affect land * ...

brought moisture to the island of Hawaii causing cloud and shower activity. *August 2009: The remnants of Hurricane Felicia brought light rainfall to the northern islands. *October 2009:

Hurricane Neki Hurricane Neki was the final tropical cyclone of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season. It developed on October 18 as an unusually large disturbance from a trough south of Hawaii. Moving northwestward, it organized only slowly at first due to ...

caused minor damage to the

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands or Leeward Hawaiian Islands are a series of islands and atolls in the Hawaiian island chain located northwest (in some cases, far to the northwest) of the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Politically, they are all p ...

, striking the

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) (roughly ) is a World Heritage Site, World Heritage listed National Monument (United States), U.S. National Monument encompassing of ocean waters, including ten islands and atolls of th ...

as a tropical storm.

2010s

*December 2010:

Tropical Storm Omeka Tropical Storm Omeka was the latest forming Eastern Pacific named storm since reliable records began in the 1960s. The storm was part of the 2010 Pacific typhoon and hurricane season. On December 18, 2010, the Central Pacific Hurricane Cen ...

brushed

Lisianski Island Lisianski Island ( Hawaiian: ''Papa‘āpoho'') is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with a land area of and a maximum elevation of above sea level. It is a low, flat sand and coral island about northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. The isla ...

as a weak tropical storm, although no damage was reported. *July 2013: Tropical Storm Flossie passed just north of the Hawaiian Islands before dissipated. *August 2014:

Hurricane Iselle Hurricane Iselle was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii in recorded history. The tenth named storm, fifth hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the 2014 hurricane season, Iselle developed from an ar ...

made landfall in the southeastern part of the

Island of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of th ...

as a moderate tropical storm. Hurricane warnings were issued on the island, the first occurrence since 1992. Upon landfall, Iselle brought heavy rain, flooding and minor structural damage. Overall, Iselle caused $148 million (2014

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

) in damage, mainly to the

papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...

crop. One person was killed indirectly having been swept away by a stream engorged with heavy rain from the storm. *October 2014:

Hurricane Ana Hurricane Ana was the second tropical cyclone in 2014 to threaten the U.S. state of Hawaii with a direct hit, after Iselle in August. The twenty-first named storm and fifteenth hurricane of the 2014 Pacific hurricane season, Ana formed from a di ...

skirted just south of the Hawaiian islands, passing southwest of

as a category 1 hurricane. Damage was limited to a few downed trees. *August 2015:

Hurricane Hilda Hurricane Hilda was an intense tropical cyclone that ravaged areas of the United States Gulf Coast, particularly Louisiana. In addition to its damage inland, the hurricane greatly disrupted offshore oil production, and at its time was the costlie ...

passed within southeast of Island of Hawaii as a tropical depression. *August 2015:

Hurricane Kilo Hurricane Kilo, also referred to as Typhoon Kilo, was a powerful and long-lived tropical cyclone that traveled more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) from its formation point southeast of the Hawaiian Islands to its extratropical tra ...

passed well south of Island of Hawaii as a tropical depression, it brought enhanced moisture into Hawaii, leading to locally heavy rainfall in that state. *August 2015: Hurricane Loke brushed

Pearl and Hermes Atoll The Pearl and Hermes Atoll ( haw, Holoikauaua), also known as Pearl and Hermes Reef, is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a group of small islands and atolls that form the farthest northwest portion of the Hawaiian island chain. The ...

as a minimal hurricane, although no damage was reported. *August–September 2015: Hurricane Ignacio passed about northeast of

and

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

as a category 1 hurricane, causing only minimal impacts. *September 2015: Hurricane Jimena passed well north of the Hawaiian islands before dissipated, it brought scattered heavy rains to Hawaii. *September 2015: Tropical Storm Malia brushed

Maro Reef Maro Reef ( Hawaiian: Nalukākala - "surf that arrives in combers") is a largely submerged coral atoll located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It was discovered in 1820 by Captain Joseph Allen of the ship '' Maro'', after whose ship the ...

as a weak tropical storm, although no damage was reported. *September 2015: Tropical Storm Niala passes to the southeast of the Big Island, bringing tropical storm force winds to the island. Flood and High Wind Advisories were released. *July 2016: Moisture associated with the remnants of Hurricane Blas brought showers to Hawaii. Peak daily rainfall totals primarily ranged between 1 and 2 in (25 to 50 mm) and did not cause any serious flooding. *July 2016: Large swells as high as 15 ft (4.6 m) generated by the remnants of

Hurricane Celia Hurricane Celia was the costliest tropical cyclone in Texas history until Hurricane Alicia in 1983. The third named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1970 Atlantic hurricane season, Celia developed from a tropical wave in ...

affected the east-facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands. These swells produced rough surf that caused two drowning deaths on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu on July 16. *July 2016: Hurricane Darby made landfall in southeast

as a minimal tropical storm. Darby brought heavy rain and widespread flash floods to the windward sides of the Hawaiian Islands, however, overall damage was minor. *July 2016: Remnant moisture from

brought heavy rain to

on July 31 but caused only minor flooding. *August 2016: The remnants of Tropical Storm Howard moved across the main Hawaiian Island group on August 7, dropping up to 2 in (51 mm) of rain over portions of Kauai, Oahu, and

, with minor flooding occurring on northwestern Oahu and northern sections of Maui. *September 2016: Hurricane Madeline passes to the southeast of the Big Island as a weakening tropical storm, producing heavy rain and gusty winds. Total rainfall accumulations amounted up to 5–11 inches (13–28 cm) across the Big Island. *September 2016: Hurricane Lester passed slowly to the northeast of the islands as a category 1 hurricane. Its outer rainbands produced heavy showers and minor flooding over the leeward slopes of the Big Island and portions of east Maui. *July 2017: The remnants of Hurricane Fernanda passed to the north of the islands on July 24, producing thunderstorms and heavy showers in the region. *August 2018: Hurricane Hector passed about south of the

as a Category 3 hurricane, generating 20 foot high surf along the southern side of the island. At least 90 people had to be rescued off the shores of

due to dangerous swells generated by the cyclone. *August 2018:

Hurricane Lane The name Lane has been used for eight tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. *Tropical Storm Lane (1978) *Tropical Storm Lane (1982) *Hurricane Lane (1988) *Hurricane Lane (1994) *Hurricane Lane (2000) *Hurricane Lane (2006) – a strong C ...

slowly approached the islands from the southeast, peaking as a powerful Category 5 hurricane (one of only two recorded within 350 miles of the state), prompting the issuance of hurricane watches and warnings for every island in Hawaii and becoming the first major threat to the state since Hurricane Iniki. Lane weakened significantly as it moved towards the islands, however its outer rainbands caused severe mudslides and flash flooding especially in the

, where a maximum of of rain was recorded at Mountainview, Hawaii on August 27. In

Koloa Kōloa is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 2,231 at the 2020 census, up from 1,942 at the 2000 census. The first successful sugarcane plantation in the Hawa ...

, a man drowned after jumping in a river to save a dog. *September 2018: Hurricane Norman passed about to the northeast of the main Hawaiian islands as a weakening Category 1 hurricane. A high surf warning was issued for the eastern shores of

and the

, although no damage was reported. *September 2018:

Hurricane Walaka Hurricane Walaka was a Category 5 hurricane that brought high surf and a powerful storm surge to the Hawaiian Islands. Walaka was the nineteenth named storm, twelfth hurricane, eighth major hurricane, and second Category 5 hurricane ...

struck the

French Frigate Shoals The French Frigate Shoals ( Hawaiian: Kānemilohai) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its name commemorates French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse, who nearly lost two frigates when attempting to navigate the ...

as a category 3 hurricane completely destroying the uninhabited East Island in the atoll. *September 2018: Hurricane Olivia made landfall in northwest

as a minimal tropical storm, becoming the first storm on record to make landfall on the island since reliable records began. As Olivia continued towards the west, it then made a second landfall on the northeast coast of

Lanai Lanai ( haw, Lānai, , , also ,) is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and the smallest publicly accessible inhabited island in the chain. It is colloquially known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple pl ...

with heavy rains and gusty winds. Several homes were evacuated in Maui due to the threat of flooding, though overall damage was relatively minor, with some reports of downed trees and flooded roads. *July 2019: The remnants of Hurricane Barbara passed south of

on July 8, producing showers over the windward regions of the island and nearby

. The storms generated by Barbara's remnants were cited by

Hawaiian Electric Industries Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI; ) is the largest supplier of electricity in the state of Hawaii, supplying power to 95% of Hawaii's population through its electric utilities: Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawai'i Electric Light Comp ...

as the likely cause of power outages affecting 45,000 electricity customers. *August 2019:

Hurricane Erick The name Erick, or Eric, has been used for nine tropical cyclones worldwide, seven in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and one each in the South-West Indian Ocean and in the South Pacific. In the Eastern Pacific: * Tropical Storm Erick (1983), a strong tr ...

passed about south of the island of Hawaii as a tropical storm, bringing swells and rainfall to the island. Subsequently, Hurricane Flossie approaches Hawaii as a weakening tropical depression, before passing northeast of the Big Island and dissipated.

2020s

* July 2020:

Hurricane Douglas The name Douglas has been used for seven tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. * Hurricane Douglas (1984) – strongest hurricane of the season, never threatened land * Tropical Storm Douglas (1990) – killed one person in Mexico, where i ...

passed just north of the

, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the island chain, though damage was minor. Despite this, it was the closest hurricane that has come to

in recorded history.

Monthly statistics and landfalls

In total, 67 tropical cyclones have affected Hawaii since official record-keeping began in 1949.

Deadliest storms

At least 29 people have died in Hawaii as a result of tropical cyclones since 1949.

Hawaii's apparent immunity to most hurricanes

Tracks of Central Pacific Hurricanes 1949 to 1998

The islands of Hawaii, with

as the notable exception, appear to be remarkably immune from direct hurricane hits. The USGS states that "more commonly, near-misses that generate large swell and moderately high winds causing varying degrees of damage are the hallmark of hurricanes passing close to the islands." This has also drawn media attention. One notion is that Hawaii's volcanic peaks slow down or divert storms. Mokuaweoweo from the air

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. Satellite images of Hurricane Flossie's breakup when approaching Hawaii Island fueled this idea. Another example may be Hurricane Felicia which dropped from Category 4 down to a tropical depression with residual winds predicted at only . Tropical Storm Flossie (not to be confused with Hurricane Flossie in 2007) provides still another example. On July 28, 2013, the storm appeared headed for a direct hit to the Big Island, home to

Mauna Kea Mauna Kea ( or ; ; abbreviation for ''Mauna a Wākea''); is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. Its peak is above sea level, making it the highest point in the state of Hawaii and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. The peak is ...

and

Mauna Loa Mauna Loa ( or ; Hawaiian: ; en, Long Mountain) is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The largest subaerial volcano (as opposed to subaqueous volcanoes) in both mass and ...

. Both mountains rise to elevations in excess of 13,000 feet above sea level, and as Flossie approached the island, its track shifted abruptly overnight and assumed a more northerly alignment, heading instead to the island of

on July 29. Wind data in particular supports the

USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...

assertion that hurricane damage has been low on all islands except for Kauai. Data collected by the Western Regional Climate Center show no hurricane-strength winds on any Hawaii Islands with the exception of Kauai. Despite this data, FEMA classified all of Hawaii as being in a "Wind-Borne Debris Region".FEMA - Wind zones in the United States

Effect on homeowner's insurance

Notes

References

External links

Eastern Pacific hurricane tracks

Central Pacific hurricane climatology

Central Pacific Hurricane Center archive

History of Hurricanes in Hawaii, University of Hawaii

Hawaii Hurricanes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawaii Hurricanes * Lists of tropical cyclones in the United States

Hurricanes A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...