In El Nio years, this idea changes some. Hurricane Dot arrived in 1959 and an unnamed storm occurred in 1871. The last time Hawaii was hit with a tropical storm or hurricane was in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki killed six people and destroyed more than 1,400 homes in Kauai, said Eric Lau, meteorologist for . In the vast Pacific Ocean, Hawaii's total land area is only about 6,400 square miles, the fourth smallest U.S. state by land area, larger than only Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. 2000s Daniel Nelson. * August 1988: Hurricane Uleki approached the state. Image credit: NOAA/CSC. Damage was Severe property damage was inflicted on the island; up to $250 million (a record for that time). Why a Blizzard Is Hitting Southern California, How to Engineer Buildings That Withstand Earthquakes, Why the Earthquake in Turkey Was So Damaging and Deadly, Climate Change Has Influenced the Timing of Europe's Floods, Court Scuttles Rule Cutting Potent Greenhouse Gas, Wildfire Burns across (Formerly) Icy Greenland. * September 1992: Hurricane Orlene struck Hawaii as a tropical depression causing heavy rainfall, washing out roads, shortly after Iniki ravaged Kauai. While there are usually between four or five tropical cyclones in the central Pacific ocean each year, fewer than ten have gotten within 200 nautical miles of the islands since records began to be. Look at the fading tracks of hurricanes approaching from the east. Along the southern coast, many structures were wiped out by storm surge flooding and large, battering waves. * 1950 Hiki 1 Hawaii has not been directly hit by a hurricane in 22 years, and only three times since 1950, though it has endured nearly 150 tropical cyclones in that time, according to the AP. Hurricane Iniki. It's quite rare to have two storms right behind each other . Hawaii Hurricane Palm trees being blown by a tropical rain storm. 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. Dallas Area Storms Cause Power Transformer To Explode, Rockslide In Californias Santa Monica Mountains, 4 Summer Weather Dangers To Watch Out For, Southern California Water Temperatures About as Warm as They Get, Fewer Atlantic Hurricanes Expected This Season. 68 mph (109 km/h) winds were recorded in Kauai. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. 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. Jonathan Belles, Jon Erdman and Linda Lam, Dallas Area Storms Cause Power Transformer To Explode, Rockslide In Californias Santa Monica Mountains. In other words, hurricanes aren't even physically possible in Hawaii for over half of the year. 675 Wharf Street, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, HI 96761 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). highest frequency of tropical cyclones in the Central North Pacific zone occurs during El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years. The warmer water also allows for more tropical system formationcloser to Hawaii and across the eastern Pacific. 1990s This is the reality of a meteorological rule of thumb. * August 2007: Hurricane Flossie passed within 100 miles of the Big Island, bringing rain and tropical storm-force winds. about 6 o'clock A.M. from the North, and rapidly rotating to the West and August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. The last one to do so was Category 1 Hurricane Ana in October 2014, whose center came within 70 miles of the far western Hawaiian island of Niihau. * August 1958: On Aug. 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of Hilo. [48], Wind data in particular supports the USGS assertion that hurricane damage has been low on all islands except for Kauai. Persons who know a warrant is, The monthly test of the all-hazard Statewide Outdoor Warning Siren System, coordinated with the test of the Live Audio Broadcast. 68 mph (110 km/h) winds were recorded in Kauai. * July 1971: Hurricane Denise dissipated before reaching Hawaii, but brought beneficial rain of more than one inch to dry farms and sugar plantations. cyclones form in this zone each year with 30% of these storms developing into hurricanes. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu: 82 miles per hour (132 km/h). 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. 1980s * July 1978: Hurricane Fico created 15 feet waves, felled trees and knocked out power across the islands. From 1950 through 2017, only 14 hurricanes have passed within 200 nautical miles of the Big Island, Maui, Honolulu or Kauai, according to NOAA's historical hurricane database. Factors weakening Hawaii-bound tropical cyclones. 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. 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. * August 1959: Hurricane Dot entered the Central Pacific as a Category 4 hurricane just south of Hawaii. 'Iwa formed south of Hawai'i during 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. Its unprecedented, we dont really have a full grasp for whats going to happen on the other side, Cantin said. Unlike the Atlantic Basin, July is the second most active month (45) in the central Pacific basin. disaster ever to strike the United States, with damages estimated at over A Hawaiian hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the Hawaiian Islands. The island of Kauai was especially hard hit by damaging winds. The storm was weakening as it neared the Islands, with maximum sustained winds over Kaua'i still exceeding 80 mph, which snapped trees and caused major . Two people were injured by lightning. By summer, those same waters can reach 82 degrees. heavily damaged structures along the south coast. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. About two-thirds of those systems drift westfrom the eastern Pacific basin. The costliest hurricane in Hawaii's history,Hurricane Iniki, originated in the eastern Pacific as Tropical Depression Eighteen-E on Sept. 5, 1992. This is the reality of a meteorological rule of thumb. August 1958: On August 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of Hilo. In total, 67 tropical cyclones have affected Hawaii since official record-keeping began in 1949. (MORE:Fewer Atlantic Hurricanes Expected This Season). 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. Dot brought sustained winds of 81 mph with gusts to 103 mph to Kilauea Light. * August 1970: Tropical Storm Maggie passed just south of the Big Island, dropping nearly 10 inches of rain. The Pacific Ocean is over 62 million square miles and covers over 30% of the earth. * 1992 Iniki 6 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. If it stays a hurricane, it will be the first to hit the Big Island head-on since records began in 1950, and could even be the first since a possible cyclone hit in 1872, saidNational Weather Servicemeteorologist Michael Cantin. Hurricanes hit Hawaii less frequently because of where the islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. All the islands reported some surf damage along their southwest facing shores, and wind damage was widespread on Kauai. Additionally, more than 52 inches of rain fell over four days in Kauai. Hawaii's hurricane season is from June to November of every year, but just how much of a threat to Hawaii are hurricanes? So her team added computer. Sea-surface temperatures are typically warmer the further south you get in the northern Pacific, which means a tropical cyclone moving toward Hawaii from the south would have a better chance of surviving to the islands. Most years, the water is too coolfor most tropical systems to arrive from the due east. November 1957: Hurricane Nina was a category one hurricane that formed in November south of Hawaii. Next. Hawaii's official hurricane season runs from June to November, and an average season generally sees three to five hurricanes in the Central Pacific. Just use the promocode VIP20 after clicking on this link. Hawaii typically records four or five hurricanes each. Figure 2. It moved across the islands, dropping considerable rainfall and causing about $500,000 of damage, before dissipating. * January 1971: Although not having existed in the Central Pacific as a tropical cyclone, the extratropical low that was Tropical Storm Sarah in the West Pacific passed over Hawaii in mid January, causing high winds and heavy rain. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. section of the storm, sweeping the island with 80 mph winds and causing * July 1994: The remnants of Tropical Storm Fabio brought heavy showers to Big Island and Oahu. A look at tropical cyclones that have impacted Hawaii over the years, 103rd Kamehameha Schools Song Contest: Na Mele Paniolo - Songs of the Hawaiian Cowboy, How to cope with difficult emotions in a healthy way, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, visit the Hawaii News Now Hurricane Center, KHNLPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KGMBPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KFVEPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KSIXPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KOGGPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246. Hurricane Nina (1957) produced record winds in Honolulu. The storm weakened as it moved Douglas' wind gusts downed some trees and produced bands of locally flooding rain in parts of the islands. www.soest.hawaii.edu/MET/Faculty/businger/poster/hurricane/, Olivia is forecast to approach the main Hawaiian Islands from the east early next week, but it is too soon, The listed individuals are wanted by the Hawaii Police Department because of outstanding warrants. The island of Kauai was especially hard hit by damaging winds. More than three dozen hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, have impacted the Hawaiian islands since 1950, causing at least 12 deaths. When tropical cyclones approach Hawaii, they tend to come from the southeast. either entering or forming in the Central North Pacific Zone between 140 and 180 west longitude has varied greatly High surf with waves of up to 10 feet impacted the eastern side of the Big Island. north to the Island's latitude and curved northeast, {.FJ!FFK2IHxyDsSw0IA1?T6],#LP_C%`L }^d"!sQq2OI\t)dO6O6!EgKzPBI{?B$_O |3x!L. * July 1986: Waves caused by Hurricane Estelle caused $2 million in damage when they destroyed five houses and damaged several others. 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. On September 23, a German ship recorded a cyclone (known later as the "Cyclone of the Lark") near 17N and 141W. * July 1994: Tropical Storm Daniel dumped 5 inches of rain over the windward slopes of Big Island. A sidewalk is ripped up and littered with downed palm trees after Hurricane Iniki slammed the island of Kauai, Hawaii in September, 1992. Satellite images of Hurricane Flossie's breakup when approaching Hawaii Island fueled this idea. 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. Pre1950 There are several reasons why this happens so often. Classic cars. 1900s. The remnants of Kanoa brought rain. 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. Peak gusts Deaths: Property damage . * August 2008: The remnants of Hurricane Hernan brought moisture to the Big Island, causing cloud and shower activity. Table 5.53-- MAJOR HURRICANES: 1950 TO 2013 Maximum recorded winds ashore (m.p.h.) about 9 AM when it suddenly lulled into a calm fearfully in contrast with 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). Hurricane Hiki was the third-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States, behind Hurricane Lane in 2018, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Finally, if you've ever visited Maui, you're sure to have noticed the wind. ENSO episode. * August 2000: Hurricane Daniel passed north of the islands, bringing a few thunderstorms but no significant flooding. Hurricane Dot arrived in 1959 and an unnamed storm occurred in 1871. Deadliest Storms The frequency of tropical storms Along the southern coast, many structures were wiped out by storm surge flooding and large, battering waves. Hawaii Free Press - All Rights Reserved. Read more about this topic: List Of Hawaii Hurricanes, List of Tropical Cyclones. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Hurricane Dot (1959) caused damage to Kauai. South, and increasing in fury, reached its climax Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. Andrea Thompson, an associate editor at Scientific American, covers sustainability. 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. 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. Hawaii Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care, Tropical storms and hurricanes are rare in the Hawaiian Islands, but 2014 is one of their most active years on record. One died from Hiki. Wave heights between 15 and 20 feet was reported on Kauai. Sea-surface temperatures are typically warmer the further south you get in the northern Pacific, which means a tropical cyclone moving toward Hawaii from the south would have a better chance of surviving to the islands. High surf with heights of up to 15 feet were reported on the windward sections of Big Island. Three hurricanes struck the island of Kauai hard, including the most. 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. More than three dozen hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, have impacted the Hawaiian islands since 1950, causing at least 12 deaths. Hurricane Iselle, which retained hurricane strength after showing signs of weakening, is expected to make landfall as a Category 1 on the Big Island on Thursday night, bringing with it strong winds and torrential rains. OK, the water isn't that cool, but in order to form, hurricanes need water temperatures to be least 80 degrees. * August 1925: High seas and gusty winds were recorded. Tracks of hurricanes that have come within 200 nautical miles of the Big Island, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauai from 1950 through 2017. Unlike the Atlantic Basin, July is the second most active month (45) in the central Pacific basin. Over 1400 homes were destroyed Several large waterspouts were sighted off Hapuna Beach in South Kohala. Part of the reason this doesn't happen that often is just geography. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is grateful for many near-misses from hurricanes in recent decades. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. passing just to the west of Kaua'i. But right now, that high is sitting a little further north than usual, allowing storms to take aim at the islands. Iwa was the most damaging hurricane to hit Hawaii until Hurricane Iniki took over the title 10 years later. wrote: 'On Wednesday of last week a fearful When Was The Last Time Hawaii Was Hit by a Hurricane? If it stays a hurricane, it will be the first to hit the Big Island head-on since records began in 1950, and could even be the first since a possible cyclone hit in 1872, said National Weather . August is the peak month, followed by July, then September. Hawaii has been, and will be in the future, hit by hurricanes. 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? Well you can! Another reason hurricanes miss Hawaii is the cool waters surrounding the islands. According to the NOAA historical hurricane database, from 1950 - 2017, only 14 hurricanes have ever passed within 200 miles of Hawaii. Another side effect of El Nio is that the trade winds that sometimes trap tropical cyclones well south of the islands relax, making these lingering storms south of the islands more susceptible to be drawn northward. 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. Vintage home. codes, with Kaua'i opting for higher standards of construction by requiring Dating to 1950, there is no record of a hurricane landfalling on the Big Island of Hawaii. Quick Links Last Year's Storms All Storms USA Major Storms of the Last Decade Category 3-5 USA 2010-2019 Strongest North Atlantic Hurricanes Category 5 All-time Hurricane Katrina 2005 Impact Storm I think were prepared as best we can be, Cantin said. At least 29 people have died in Hawaii as a result of tropical cyclones since 1949. Tracks of hurricanes that have come within 200 nautical miles of Hawaii from 1990-2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. List of Hawaii Hurricanes - List of Tropical Cyclones - 1950s. In the vast Pacific Ocean, Hawaii's total land area is only about 6,400 square miles, the fourth-smallest U.S. state by land area, larger than only Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. 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. Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014became only the second tropical storm, and the strongest, to landfall on the Big Island dating to 1950. Of course, this doesn't mean every single storm will do that in the future. * October 2009: Hurricane Neki caused minor damage to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, striking the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument as a tropical storm. Baldwin 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. Both Iniki and 'Iwa struck Hawai'i during ENSO August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. 1910s. that appear to have been tropical cyclones. 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. Even before Hawaii became a state in 1959, it was a top tourist destination - and for good reason. Hurricane name Date 1/ Islands most affected: Sustained. 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. (MORE:4 Summer Weather Dangers To Watch Out For). Also, a hurricane simply rounding the southwest side of a less expansive eastern Pacific Ocean subtropical high would put Hawaii in the crosshairs. Nina's closest approach to land, which was relatively far off the coast, was only about 120 miles (190 km) southwest of Kauai. tornado swept through the district, spreading desolation and ruin in its Also helping shield Hawaii from tropical systems are the relatively cool waters around the islands, especially to the north and east of the chain. When asking why hurricanes rarely reach landfall in Hawaii, it's important to see the big picture. A year with an El Nio event, however, can implicate this model. Wind shear (the change in wind speed and/or direction with height) is typically stronger near the Hawaiian islands, acting to displace thunderstorms from the cyclone's center. August 1925: In August high seas and gusty winds were recorded in Hawaii from a nearby tropical cyclone. The article was first published on August 7, 2014. No Dot-related deaths were recorded. Factors weakening Hawaii-bound tropical cyclones. 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 The figure below shows a 10-year moving average of tropical cyclone global landfalls from 1950 to . Rainfall up to 5 inches was also reported in Oahu. Iniki was the fifth costliest natural It was also considered the first official hurricane in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands.The fourth tropical cyclone of the 1950 Pacific hurricane season, Hiki formed as a tropical depression to the southeast of Hawaii on August 12. It remains the second costliest East/Central Pacific hurricane on record, only behind Hurricane Paul in 1982. Beauty & fashion. One such hurricane formed in an El Nio year: 1992. Since 1950 five hurricanes or tropical storms have caused serious damage in Hawaii. Locally strong wind gusts reached 58 miles per hour at some localities, mainly over Maui and the Big Island. * September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. All rights reserved. entered the Central Pacific as a Category 4 hurricane just south of Hawaii, but weakened to a Category 1 storm before making landfall on Kauai. * September 1972: Hurricane Fernanda may have caused flash flooding near Waipio as it passed to the northeast. Damage was in excess of $6 million. One such hurricane formed in an El Nio year: 1992. It moved across the islands, dropping considerable rainfall and causing about $500,000 of damage. torrents Hurricane Estelle (1986) produced very high surf on Hawaii and Maui and floods on Oahu. Hawaii typically records four or five hurricanes each year, although as many as 11 have occurred, including during the 1992 and 1994 seasons. 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. Since 1970, definitive satellite coverage for Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. government Six people were killed and more than 1,000 homes damaged during the 1992 hurricane. waters has been available providing a complete catalog of all tropical cyclones 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. waters 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). Like the other residents of Hawaii, meteorologists will have to watch and wait, hopefully stocked with at least three days of food and water for their families and prepared to lose power at least for a while. * September 1963: Tropical Storm Irah crossed the islands as a tropical depression, bringing 36 miles per hour winds, but caused little damage. El Nio allows warmer water to push farther north into the more typical east to west trek of tropical systems from the eastern Pacific. * July 1994: Hurricane Emilia damaged trees and foliage while passing south of Hawaii. that many of these events were actually organized tropical cyclones, perhaps document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. During the winter and spring, Hawaii's waters average 77 degrees. The mountainous terrain of the islands amplifies the rain threat and contributes to the threat of ensuingflash floodsand mudslides. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. * 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. before passing directly over Kaua'i on the * October 1983: Hurricane Raymond took a path similar to Gils, but as a depression, causing no damage. * August 1976: Tropical Storm Gwen passed north of Hawaii, dropping 12 inches of rain across the entire state. Only two tropical storms have hit the islands since 1949--an unnamed 1958 storm which hit the Big Island, and. The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. On Aug. 6, Dot began weakening, and at its landfall in Kauai, Dot was only a Category 1 hurricane. [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. 68 mph (110 km/h) winds were recorded in Kauai. It hit the island of Kauai as a Category 4 on September 11, killing six and causing $2 billion in damage. There haven't been enough hurricanes and tropical storms since about 1950 when good recordkeeping started for a statistically significant trend, Lin said. to issue special hurricane insurance for homeowners. Of course, an El Nio does not guarantee a hurricane will impact Hawaii. Knowledge awaits. cause major wind damage. The remnants of Kanoa brought welcomed rain. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. It should be noted that the dark No Dot-related deaths were recorded. Any south or southwest wind aloft would steer a hurricane toward the island chain. Iniki brought winds of 140 miles per hour. No doubt about that. * August 1991: Hurricane Fefa dissipated shortly before landfall. Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014became only the second tropical storm, and the strongest, to landfall on the Big Island dating to 1950. of rain which raised the streams to an unprecedented height and swept away * 1986 Estelle 2 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 COPYRIGHT 2021 HAWAII OCEAN PROJECT. Only light rain was reported. On average, four to five tropical cyclones occur in the central Pacific Ocean basin - between 140-180 degrees west longitude -each year, according toDr. Rick Knabb,Hurricane Expert at The Weather Channel and past director of the National Hurricane Center. 68 mph winds were recorded in Kauai. From 1950 through 2017, only 14 hurricanes have passed within 200 nautical miles of the Big Island, Maui, Honolulu or Kauai, according to NOAA's historical hurricane database.