hawaii hurricanes before 1950

[47]Tropical Storm Flossie (not to be confused with Hurricane Flossie in 2007) provides still another example. 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 last one to. On July 28, 2013, the storm appeared headed for a direct hit to the Big Island, home to Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. List of Hawaii hurricanes; 2012 Hawaii hailstorm; References This page was last edited on 26 June 2022, at . Moderate surf of up to 6 feet affected the east and southeast shorelines on the Big Island. Examining Hawaii's history with hurricanes: How does Lane compare to In El Nio years, this idea changes some. Localized flash flooding was reported in the Kohala and Hamakua districts. highest frequency of tropical cyclones in the Central North Pacific zone occurs during El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Data collected by the Western Regional Climate Center show no hurricane-strength winds on any Hawaii Islands with the exception of Kauai. * October 1983: Hurricane Raymond took a path similar to Gils, but as a depression, causing no damage. Only two tropical storms have hit the islands since 1949--an unnamed 1958 storm which hit the Big Island, and. The article was first published on August 7, 2014. 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. * August 1976: Tropical Storm Gwen passed north of Hawaii, dropping 12 inches of rain across the entire state. August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. Hurricane season in Hawaii usually falls between the months of June and November. (MORE:4 Summer Weather Dangers To Watch Out For). The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. 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. Iselle grew into a powerful Category 4 hurricane and took aim at Hawai'i in early August, 2014. A gust of 53 miles per hour was recorded at South Point. 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. dark Iwa killed one person and did $250 million in damage, making it the second most damaging hurricane to ever hit Hawaii. This includes a few Category 4 eastern Pacific hurricanes that fizzled, such as Felicia (2009),Orlene (1992) and Raymond (1983). 1970s Hurricane landfalls are rare in Hawaii, but brushes by tropical systems are common. Hawaii has been directly hit by hurricanes only three times since 1950, though the region has had 147 tropical cyclones over that time. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. Most years, the water is too coolfor most tropical systems to arrive from the due east. Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. * 1986 Estelle 2 Daniel Nelson. August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. torrents COPYRIGHT 2021 HAWAII OCEAN PROJECT. List of Hawaii hurricanes - Wikiwand The Pacific Ocean is over 62 million square miles and covers over 30% of the earth. Well you can! Heavy rains were recorded; the heaviest in years. More than 12 inches fell in 4 hours. Pair of Hurricanes Will Chase Tourists Off Hawaii Beaches Damage was in excess of $6 million. Read more about this topic: List Of Hawaii Hurricanes, List of Tropical Cyclones. The state ranks as the 48th most active in terms of touch downs, with 40 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. . 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. ENSO is a Pacific- wide phenomenon during which ocean surface water warms in the Eastern Pacific and pressure Hawaiian hurricanes: Hardly common, but occasionally havoc-wreaking August is the peak month for tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin, chalking up twice as many (74) as September (37) from 1971-2013, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. I think were prepared as best we can be, Cantin said. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu: 82 miles per hour. The world's coral reefs are dying. * August 1991: Hurricane Fefa dissipated shortly before landfall. On average, between four and five tropical cyclones are observed in the Central Pacific every year. One such hurricane formed in an El Nio year: 1992. 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. An example from the Big Island * August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. Only two tropical storms have hit the islands since 1949--an unnamed 1958 storm which hit the Big Island, and Tropical Storm Iselle, which made landfall along the southeast shore of Hawaii's Big Island on August 8, 2014 with 60 mph winds. Why are hurricanes so rare in Hawaii? It's a lucky quirk - USA TODAY Knowledge awaits. Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014became only the second tropical storm, and the strongest, to landfall on the Big Island dating to 1950. 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. As pointed out by University of North Carolina - Charlotte graduate student Eric Webb, there was a case of a major hurricane punching through the Big Island and Maui in August 1871, as a January 2018 study uncovered. It ended up dropping 52 inches of rain, the second highest rainfall total from a tropical cyclone since 1950, behind only Hurricane Harvey's 60 inches on Texas in 2017. It should be noted that the of Hurricane Hiki in 1950. A sidewalk is ripped up and littered with downed palm trees after Hurricane Iniki slammed the island of Kauai, Hawaii in September, 1992. * August 2009: The remnants of Hurricane Felicia brought light rainfall to the northern islands. 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). That high pressure is particularly strong from May through October primehurricane season. from year to year, from 0 to a maximum of 16 in 2015. [citation needed], Hawaii's apparent immunity to most hurricanes, Before Hurricane Iniki in 1992, a standard homeowner's, Damage consistent with category 4 winds; rated category 3 due to terrain effects, Last edited on 23 November 2022, at 18:17, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument, List of wettest tropical cyclones to affect Hawaii, Tropical Cyclones During the Years 1900-1952, The 1957 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1958 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1959 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, 1963 Tropical Cyclones in the Central North Pacific, 1966 Tropical Cyclones in the Central North Pacific, The 1970 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1971 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1972 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1976 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1978 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1982 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1983 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1985 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1986 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1988 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1989 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1991 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1992 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, "Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables update", The 1993 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1994 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 1999 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 2000 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 2003 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, The 2004 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season, 2005 Tropical Cyclones in the Central North Pacific, "Rescuers find body of Kauai hiker swept away by rushing river", "Remnants of Fernanda to bring humidity, possible thunderstorms", "Hurricane Hector Intermediate Advisory Number 33A", Lane Possibly Breaks Hawaii Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Record, "1 death from Hawaii storm Lane reported on Kauai", "Power Interrupted as Storm Remnants Hit Hawaii's Big Island", "Tropical Storm Erick Advisory Number 24", "NWSChat NOAA's National Weather Service", Atlas of Natural Hazards in the Hawaiian Coastal Zone published by the USGS Page 11, Maui not immune to hurricane strike published by, Video of Hurricane Flossie's breakup upon approach to Hawaii Island, US article: Hurricane Felicia strengthens, heads toward Hawaii, August 09, 2009, Western Regional Climate Center - Historic Wind Measurements, FEMA Definitions for Wind-Borne Debris Region, FEMA Definitions for Hurricane-Prone Region, History of Hurricanes in Hawaii, University of Hawaii, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Hawaii_hurricanes&oldid=1123431237, September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. 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. 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. Tracks of hurricanes that have come within 200 nautical miles of Hawaii from 1990-2021. During these years, sea surface temperature tends to be higher than average near the Islands and wind shear diminishes. Quotes from captains and civilians describe a severe windstorm that ravaged the islands for several hours. * November 1906: 90 miles south of Honolulu on Nov. 3, 1906, a tropical cyclone was recognized. [48], Wind data in particular supports the USGS assertion that hurricane damage has been low on all islands except for Kauai. Intense rains over Oahu and Kauai caused flash floods on Kaukonahua Stream and the overflow of Lake Wilson at Wahiawa Dam. Along the southern coast, many structures were wiped out by storm surge flooding and large, battering waves. * September 1972: Hurricane Fernanda may have caused flash flooding near Waipio as it passed to the northeast. The costliest hurricane in Hawaii's history,Hurricane Iniki, originated in the eastern Pacific as Tropical Depression Eighteen-E on Sept. 5, 1992. Surf reached 10 feet along the Puna and Kau shorelines. List of Hawaii Hurricanes - List of Tropical Cyclones - 1950s. (MORE:Southern California Water Temperatures About as Warm as They Get). August 1959: Hurricane Dot 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. Of course, this doesn't mean every single storm will do that in the future. and * July 1994: Tropical Storm Daniel dumped 5 inches of rain over the windward slopes of Big Island. 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 key, at least climatologically speaking, is the direction of the storm's approach. Two drownings on Oahu were attributed to rough surf caused by the hurricane. * August 1988: Hurricane Uleki approached the state. * August 1966: Hurricane Connie brought heavy rain to Big Island and Maui without making landfall. * August 2008: The remnants of Hurricane Hernan brought moisture to the Big Island, causing cloud and shower activity. cyclones form in this zone each year with 30% of these storms developing into hurricanes. Hawaii Hurricane Palm trees being blown by a tropical rain storm. Hawaii typically records four or five hurricanes each. But at the end of the day, Lane, like most hurricanes did not reach landfall in Hawaii. Peak gusts Deaths: Property damage . * August 1988: Tropical Storm Gilma moved through the island chain as a depression, dropping locally heavy rainfall of up to 4 inches in some places. Nina moved north and took a sharp turn to the west without actually striking the state. It's this high-pressure zone that keeps Hawaii's weather fairly consistent throughout the year. 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. Flooding caused The storm spurred counties to reevaluate building 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. No Dot-related deaths were recorded. so extensive, it caused an insurance crisis in Hawai'i, prompting the State Hurricane Iwa's Economic Impact on Hawaii (January 1983); "The History of Hurricanes in Hawaii", Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 18, 1983, p. It's been more than two decades since the last hurricane hit the 50th state. Of course, an El Nio does not guarantee a hurricane will impact Hawaii. It hit the island of Kauai as a Category 4 on September 11, killing six and causing $2 billion in damage. section of the storm, sweeping the island with 80 mph winds and causing The island of Kauai was especially hard hit by damaging winds. By the big picture, we mean the Pacific Ocean. Hurricane Hiki was the third-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States, behind Hurricane Lane in 2018, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. [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. Oahu has not been directly hit by a hurricane, though hurricanes have passed very close to the island. major agricultural damage, particularly to macadamia orchards. Next. Hawaii's hurricane season is from June to November of every year, but just how much of a threat to Hawaii are hurricanes? 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. Iwa was the most damaging hurricane to hit Hawaii until Hurricane Iniki took over the title 10 years later. Historical Hurricane Tracks - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Considered the most catastrophic hurricane in Hawaii history, Iniki originated in 1992, which was also an El Nio year. Hurricane Lane was certainly a close call, the closest we've seen since 1992. * 1988 Uleki 2 The storm weakened as it moved 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 . Image credit: NOAA/CSC. Andrea Thompson, an associate editor at Scientific American, covers sustainability. PDF Table 5.54-- MAJOR HURRICANES: 1950 TO 2020 - Hawaii The only other storm to do so was in1958. Of course, an El Nio does not guarantee a hurricane will impact Hawaii. 68 mph winds were recorded in Kauai. by Dr Jeff Masters, Weather Underground, October 16, 2014 (excerpt). {.FJ!FFK2IHxyDsSw0IA1?T6],#LP_C%`L }^d"!sQq2OI\t)dO6O6!EgKzPBI{?B$_O |3x!L. This number has ranged from zero, most recently as 1979, to as many as eleven in 1992 and 1994. 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. Several large waterspouts were sighted off Hapuna Beach in South Kohala. the rain the storm had so rapidly wrought. 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 El Nio years are typically more active in the central Pacific. was the "Kohala Cyclone" of 1871. sailed through the storm encountering, "black dark, heavy blinding rain, I don't think that has happened before, Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, said in an email. One notion is that Hawaii's volcanic peaks slow down or divert storms. A 1950s tour guide to Hawaii: See what the islands looked like before Well you can! Its unprecedented, we dont really have a full grasp for whats going to happen on the other side, Cantin said. Hurricane name Date 1/ Islands most affected: Sustained. for residential construction, for example. This article is reproduced with permission fromClimate Central. 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. 1950s The last one to do so was Category 4 Hurricane Douglas in July 2020, whose center came just 30 miles north of Oahu on July 26. No doubt about that. In fact, hurricane expert Michael Lowry told the Weather Channel there is a 35% chance of a hurricane coming within 100 miles of Hawaii in an El Nio year vs. 22% in a non-El Nio year. August 1959: Hurricane Dot was another powerful August arrival. 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. Why Hurricanes Are So Rare in Hawaii - Scientific American 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 . On average, the coldest month is January, with high temperatures of 82 and average lows of 64 with 3 days of rain. The costliest hurricane in Hawaii's history,Hurricane Iniki, originated in the eastern Pacific as Tropical Depression Eighteen-E on Sept. 5, 1992. 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. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. Tropical storms and hurricanes are rare in the Hawaiian Islands, but 2014 is one of their most active years on record. Hurricane Julio, further to the east of Iselle, looks to skirt to the north of the islands but the uncertainty in its track includes the potential to brush Maui and the other islands to the northwest of the Big Island as a tropical storm. Virtually all hurricanes near the Hawaiian Islands since 1949 have approached from the southeast, south or southwest. According to the NOAA historical hurricane database, from 1950 - 2017, only 14 hurricanes have ever passed within 200 miles of Hawaii. 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 1994: Tropical Depression One-C passed just south of the islands, causing severe flooding in Hilo. 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. Also helping shield Hawaii from tropical systems are the relatively cool waters around the islands, especially to the north and east of the chain. ENSO episode. . government The last time Hawaii was hit with a tropical storm. of rain which raised the streams to an unprecedented height and swept away Also, a hurricane simply rounding the southwest side of a less expansive eastern Pacific Ocean subtropical high would put Hawaii in the crosshairs. Dot swung northward after apparently Create your free account or Sign in to continue. Hurricanes and tropical storms are normally steered clear of the Hawaiian Islands by a high pressure feature that is typically parked to the northeast of the islands and keeps the weather consistent throughout the year. Rainfall totals are expected to reach 5 to 8 inches across the islands, with some isolated pockets possibly seeing as much as 12 inches. night of August 6. Hurricane landfalls are rare in Hawaii, but brushes by tropical systems are common. down our flume; uprooting large trees, and prostrating our cane fields. Any south or southwest wind aloft would steer a hurricane toward the island chain. * September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. 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. During the winter and spring, Hawaii's waters average 77 degrees. In fact, in nearly 150 years, only three hurricanes have reached landfall in Hawaii. about 6 o'clock A.M. from the North, and rapidly rotating to the West and Additionally, more than 52 inches of rain fell over four days in Kauai. On Aug. 5, Dot seemed to turn more northwest, aiming it directly at Kauai. * August 1871: Excerpts from the Hawaiian Gazette described a weather event that at least resembled a tropical cyclone. 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? Iniki was the fifth costliest natural Table 5.54-- MAJOR HURRICANES: 1950 TO 2020 Maximum recorded winds ashore (m.p.h.) HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is grateful for many near-misses from hurricanes in recent decades. November 1957: Hurricane Nina was a category one hurricane that formed in November south of Hawaii. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. Part of the reason this doesn't happen that often is just geography. Deadliest Storms Two people were injured by lightning. Hawaiian * 1950 Hiki 1 , %*|? Even before Hawaii became a state in 1959, it was a top tourist destination - and for good reason. Iselle leaves Hawaii; Hurricane Julio to miss the state | CNN Locally strong wind gusts reached 58 miles per hour at some localities, mainly over Maui and the Big Island. to issue special hurricane insurance for homeowners. 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. It moved across the islands, dropping considerable rainfall and causing about $500,000 of damage, before dissipating. Ninas closest approach to land was about 120 miles southwest of Kauai. 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. 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 however, the tornado dissipated before causing any damage. August is the peak month, followed by July, then September. * August 1938: A possible tropical cyclone produced heavy wind and rain across the state. * July 1971: Hurricane Denise dissipated before reaching Hawaii, but brought beneficial rain of more than one inch to dry farms and sugar plantations. Forecasters expect the tropical storm-force winds of Iselle to begin lashing the Big Island in the late afternoon to early evening local time, with hurricane-force winds following later. * September 1992: Hurricane Iniki caused more damage than any other hurricane to affect Hawaii since records began. "Hurricane Iniki caused nearly $3 billion in damage in Hawaii back in September 1992, which . Just use the promocode VIP20 after clicking on this link:Hawaii Ocean Project Adventures. * August 1999: Hurricane Dora caused minor wind gusts of up to 58 miles per hour on the southern part of Big Island as it passed south of Hawaii. Finally, if you've ever visited Maui, you're sure to have noticed the wind. The only other storm to do so was in1958. Factors weakening Hawaii-bound tropical cyclones. 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. Storm activity was expected to be normal or a . How rare are hurricanes in Hawaii? Examining the Aloha State's history * July 1985: Hurricane Ignacio, although missing the islands, generated surf that measured from 10 to 15 feet causing damage to coastal roads and structures. More than three dozen hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, have impacted the Hawaiian islands since 1950, causing at least 12 deaths. * August 2000: Hurricane Daniel passed north of the islands, bringing a few thunderstorms but no significant flooding. More than three dozen hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, have impacted the Hawaiian islands since 1950, causing at least 12 deaths. * August 1958: On Aug. 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of Hilo. * July 2013: Tropical Storm Flossie passed through the central Hawaiian islands as a minimal tropical storm. . Hawaii may be paradise, but like the Caribbean Sea, hurricanes are part of its history. As noted in Chapter 6, environmental conditions in the Hawai'i region offer some protection from powerful storms. Like most of its predecessors, Iselle weakened as it approached the Islands eventually making landfall along the Kau coast on the Big Island just below hurricane strength. The most common months for cyclones in this area are July, August, and September, but they have occurred in most months (see below). 1800s. 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. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu: 82 miles per hour (132 km/h). Hurricane expertMichael Lowrysays that dating to 1950, there is a 13 percent increase in the chance of a named storm to track within 100 miles of the Hawaii islands during an El Nio year (35 percent chance) than a neutral year (22 percent chance).