How rare are hurricanes in Hawaii? Examining the Aloha State's history with tropical cyclones

Hurricane Hone made a close approach to Hawaii last weekend, bringing minor damage and more than 31 inches of rain, which preliminarily ranks it number 4 for the highest rainfall from a tropical storm in the state.

Now, two more storms behind Hone could affect the island by next week -- Hurricane Gilma and Tropical Storm Hector. If Hone, Gilma and Hector all pass close to the islands, it may be a new record, as no more than two tropical systems have passed close to the islands in previous hurricane seasons.

Hurricanes hit Hawaii less frequently because of where the islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. Due to a high-pressure feature that looms in the atmosphere northeast of the state, storms as large as hurricanes are usually deflected or weakened by the time they reach the region. Cooler waters also play a role in weakening tropical systems that track through the area.

"Sea-surface temperature tends to run too cool to the east of the islands," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said. "So, any hurricanes approaching from the east tend to weaken and fall apart before reaching the islands."

"Hurricanes approaching from the south are more likely to hit the islands, but this does not happen very often due to the strong trade wind flow from the east. This tends to keep hurricanes tracking south of the islands on a westerly course taking them too far west to impact the main islands."

More than one tropical storm affecting Hawaii in one season is unusual

Although rare in the islands, hurricanes do happen there. Official records go back to 1950, and there have been some notable seasonal records.

The most active hurricane season for Hawaii was 2015, when 12 tropical systems came within 300 nautical miles of the islands, but not all caused winds, rain, or even waves in Hawaii.

No more than two tropical systems have ever affected the islands in any previous hurricane season. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki and Tropical Depression Orlene both officially made landfall in the state within three days of each other.

In the 1959 season, Hurricane Dot hit Kauai in August, then Hurricane Patsy came very close to the Kure Atoll, northwest of the main islands in September. Other years when more than one tropical system came within 20 nautical miles of the island include 2015 (Tropical Storm Malia and Tropical Depression Guillermo), 1982 (Hurricane Iwa and Tropical Storm Daniel), and 1963 (Tropical Depression Irah & an unnamed tropical storm).

Did Hurricane Dora help fan the flames of the Maui Wildfires in 2023?

Category 4 Hurricane Dora passed well south of Hawaii in August 2023, about 800 miles away. It was an intense but compact storm with hurricane-force winds only extending 30 miles out from its center Wednesday as the Maui wildfire catastrophe unfolded.

Hurricane Dora may have helped create the 2023 Maui wildfire catastrophe, but meteorologists are not yet sure what role it played.

"Unusually gusty downslope winds in recent days accelerated by the differences in atmospheric pressure from a strong area of high pressure well north of Hawaii and Category 4 Hurricane Dora passing well south of Hawaii further rapidly dried out these grasses and other vegetation, leading to a tinder-box situation, ripe for any fire to grow rapidly," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said.

The same winds helped to fan the flames at a dangerously fast rate. More than 100 people were killed and damage estimates were $16 to $18 billion USD.

A look back on Hawaii's hurricane history shows just how rare it is for hurricanes to impact the islands, and what the most impactful storms were.

Hurricane Iniki, 1992

Considered the most catastrophic hurricane in Hawaii's history, Iniki originated in 1992, which was also an El Niño year. The storm slammed into Hawaii in September as a Category 4 hurricane and was blamed for six fatalities. "Hurricane Iniki caused nearly $3 billion in damage in Hawaii back in September 1992, which would be about $6.7 billion in today’s dollars," AccuWeather CEO and Founder Dr. Joel N. Myers said in 2024.

Iniki is considered to be the most powerful hurricane ever to hit Hawaii. It also caused the most fatalities, six, of any storm. Winds were recorded at 145 mph and destroyed 1,421 houses. The hurricane struck while Steven Spielberg and the cast of Jurassic Park were on the island of Kauai filming. Footage of the storm and its destruction was included in the production.

Hurricane Lane, 2018

Lane never made landfall in Hawaii, but its presence was certainly felt in August of 2018 when it unleashed record-breaking rainfall across parts of the island chain. According to NOAA, the slow-moving storm dumped 58 inches of total rainfall on the island of Hawaii, as recorded at the Kahuna Falls Cooperative Observer Program station, breaking the record for tropical storm rainfall for the Aloha State that had stood for 68 years.

Lane, which formed in mid-August, peaked at Category 5 strength, but by the time it neared the Hawaiian Islands it had weakened substantially. Even as a weakened tropical depression, Lane continued to drench Hawaii with heavy rains, which caused flooding and mudslides on Kauai and Oahu. Flooding and other impacts from Lane caused in excess of $250 million in economic losses, which would be $313 million in 2024, according to the insurance giant AON's Global Catastrophe Recap for 2018. One direct fatality was blamed on Lane, according to NOAA's report on the storm.

Hurricane Iwa, 1982

Prior to Iniki, Iwa was the most damaging hurricane to hit Hawaii. Iwa was the very last hurricane of the 1982 season, forming in November and causing $312 million in damage, which would convert to $1 billion in damage when adjusted for inflation to 2024.

Officials blamed one death on high seas caused by the storm while 2,345 buildings and 1,927 houses were destroyed. Iwa mainly struck the islands of Kauai, Niihau and Oahu, all three of which were declared disaster areas by President Ronald Reagan. The entire island of Kauai was left without power, and 44 of the 45 boats at Port Allen were sunk. Hurricane Iwa became an inspiration for Magnum P.I. episode S3.22, The Big Blow, which aired in 1983.

Other Notable Tropical Storms in Hawaii

Hurricane Dot, 1959

Arriving in August 1959, Dot made landfall on Kauai with winds as strong as 103 mph. Kauai endured widespread flooding due to the torrential rain and rough surf along the coasts.

At its peak, Dot was a Category 4 storm but weakened to a Category 1 by landfall. There were two indirect deaths in Lanai, and the damage totaled $6 million. Dot was believed to have originated in the waters by Baja California but was never officially recognized and named until it was near peak intensity.

Hurricane Nina, 1957

A Category 1 hurricane that formed in November 1957, Nina didn’t directly strike the state but came close enough to bring 92-mph winds to Kauai. Nina caused $100,000 in damages and destroyed 12 homes. Four people were killed throughout the islands, and it also produced the highest wind gusts ever recorded in Honolulu. Like Iwa, Nina was the final hurricane of the 1957 season.

Hurricane Hiki, 1950

Considered the first official hurricane to come near the Hawaiian Islands region since record-keeping began, Hiki formed in August 1950 and packed wind gusts of 85 mph, but Hiki's signature impact was not powerful winds.

Until Harvey in 2017, Hiki was the wettest tropical cyclone in the history of the United States, dropping more than 50 inches of rain. There was one fatality associated with the storm, as a farmer in Kohala died after coming in contact with a live wire.

Report a Typo