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A Hawaiian hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the Hawaiian Islands. 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. Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. [1] Extratropical cyclones are also common, causing considerable damage; they are known as Kona storms, but are not included in counts of hurricanes.
This list contains every tropical cyclone that had a somewhat notable effect on the State of Hawaiʻi.
Of the 69 tropical cyclones have affected Hawaii since official record-keeping began in 1949, 31 (45%) did so during August. With only one exception, none have approached the islands prior to July.
At least 29 people have died in Hawaii as a result of tropical cyclones since 1949.
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The islands of Hawaii, with Kauai 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." [49] This has also drawn media attention. [50] [51] One notion is that Hawaii's volcanic peaks slow down or divert storms. [52]
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. [53] Another example may be Hurricane Felicia which dropped from Category 4 down to a tropical depression with residual winds predicted at only 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). [54] 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 and Mauna Loa. 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 Maui on July 29. [55]
Wind data in particular supports the USGS 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. [56] Despite this data, FEMA classified all of Hawaii as being in a "Wind-Borne Debris Region". [57] [58] [59]
Name | Date | Year | SSHWS category | Sustained winds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Unnamed | August 9 | 1871 | Category 3 hurricane | Unknown [nb 1] |
Unnamed | August 8 | 1958 | Tropical storm | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
Dot | August 6 | 1959 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 mph (135 km/h) |
Raymond | October 20 | 1983 | Tropical depression | 30 mph (50 km/h) |
Gilma | August 3 | 1988 | Tropical depression | 25 mph (40 km/h) |
Iniki | September 11 | 1992 | Category 4 hurricane | 145 mph (235 km/h) |
Orlene | September 14 | 1992 | Tropical depression | 30 mph (50 km/h) |
Eugene | July 24 | 1993 | Tropical depression | 35 mph (55 km/h) |
Iselle | August 8 | 2014 | Tropical storm | 60 mph (95 km/h) |
Darby | July 24 | 2016 | Tropical storm | 40 mph (65 km/h) |
Olivia | September 12 | 2018 | Tropical storm | 45 mph (70 km/h) |
Before Hurricane Iniki in 1992, a standard homeowner's insurance policy with extended coverage provided hurricane coverage. Since Iniki, many insurance policies exclude hurricane and a separate hurricane policy is required to obtain hurricane coverage. [60]