145 first-hand accounts of flood events in Hawaii, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
Flash flooding initially occurred over northern and eastern parts of Kauai along Kuhio Highway, as heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms forced the Hanalei River over its banks near the Hanalei Bridge.A much more serious event occurred hours later, at about 0545 HST on the…
Read the full account →A 6-foot wall of water moving down Palikea Stream in Haleakala National Park, in the southeast part of East Maui, swept a Kentucky man and his daughter over a 184-foot precipice at Makahiku Falls. Heavy showers falling at the higher elevations of Mt.
Read the full account →More heavy rainfall and isolated thunderstorms developed over parts of the island chain as Lane moved away from the state to the west. Some of the precipitation caused flash flooding on Kauai, the Big Island, and Oahu.
Read the full account →With a weakening front over the islands and an upper low northwest of Kauai, heavy showers and thunderstorms developed over the state. Drenching rain led to periods of flash flooding over several isles, and gusty winds downed trees and power lines.
Read the full account →As a front moved through the isles, high pressure in its wake brought blustery winds that resulted in power outages in many areas, downed trees and power lines, and roof damage to many residences.
Read the full account →An upper low and a separate upper trough generated heavy rain and showers, isolated thunderstorms, and flash flooding over much of the Aloha State.
Read the full account →The atmosphere near the islands became unstable as a mid-level trough moved through the area. The Big Island of Hawaii and Maui saw the most significant rainfall from this feature.
Read the full account →Heavy showers fell over the windward side of the Big Island near Papaaloa, just to the southeast of Laupahoehoe. A motorist, a tourist from California, apparently tried to cross the swollen Pahale Stream and died after being swept away by the rapid current.
Read the full account →A thunderstorm which developed over central Oahu moved over to the windward side of Oahu. As much as 0.73 of an inch in fifteen minutes was recorded after 5:00 pm.
Read the full account →A strong low pressure system to the northwest of the Hawaiian Islands along with an associated surface trough brought abundant moisture and an unstable atmosphere to the region.
Read the full account →A strong low pressure system to the northwest of the Hawaiian Islands along with an associated surface trough brought abundant moisture and an unstable atmosphere to the region.
Read the full account →Hurricane Hone, which formed in the Central Pacific, tracked towards the Hawaiian islands and passed by just south of the Big Island. Hurricane Hone's outer rain bands brought flooding to portions of the Big Island and the close proximity of the center of the storm brought…
Read the full account →Hurricane Hone, which formed in the Central Pacific, tracked towards the Hawaiian islands and passed by just south of the Big Island. Hurricane Hone's outer rain bands brought flooding to portions of the Big Island and the close proximity of the center of the storm brought…
Read the full account →A slow-moving surface trough, heading east to west, and an upper disturbance triggered heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms that caused flash flooding in some instances. Damages occurred to public and private property, including roads and bridges washed out.
Read the full account →A slow-moving surface trough, heading east to west, and an upper disturbance triggered heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms that caused flash flooding in some instances. Damages occurred to public and private property, including roads and bridges washed out.
Read the full account →A strong low that passed a few hundred miles north of the state produced gale force winds and heavy rainfall over all of the main Hawaiian Islands. The worst flooding affected O'ahu during the daylight hours of January 30 and southwest Maui that night.
Read the full account →A developing upper low northwest of the state, in combination with tropical moisture, induced periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms, and generated historic flash flooding conditions over the Garden Isle of Kauai.
Read the full account →A disturbance aloft moved toward the islands and brought a bout of heavy showers and thunderstorms, especially over the western portion of the Aloha State.
Read the full account →With Hurricane Lane just west of the Big Island of Hawaii, and south of Maui County and Oahu, torrential rain fell over parts of the state, especially the Big Island.
Read the full account →A slow-moving surface trough, heading east to west, and an upper disturbance triggered heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms that caused flash flooding in some instances. Damages occurred to public and private property, including roads and bridges washed out.
Read the full account →An upper air disturbance caused heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms. Early on in the episode, a flash flood occurred over a portion of Maui along Piilani Highway.
Read the full account →A developing upper low northwest of the state, in combination with tropical moisture, induced periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms, and generated historic flash flooding conditions over the Garden Isle of Kauai.
Read the full account →Hurricane Hone, which formed in the Central Pacific, tracked towards the Hawaiian islands and passed by just south of the Big Island. Hurricane Hone's outer rain bands brought flooding to portions of the Big Island and the close proximity of the center of the storm brought…
Read the full account →Very heavy showers and thunderstorms generated flash flooding in southeast parts of the island of Oahu. The focus of the heaviest rain occurred over the southern portion of the Koolau Range, resulting in the Manoa Stream overflowing its banks and causing significant flooding in…
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