Honolulu County, Hawaii
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 15003 · population 1,013,620 · 601 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 3,909 records for Honolulu County, Hawaii from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,772 days; the most frequent are rip current and surf records (2,398 records). 2,963 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the July 16, 2016 high surf, filed for the forecast zone Olomana, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1974, 22 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Storm Nolo” on September 25, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 3,909on 1,772 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 19109 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.2Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 20strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Honolulu County most?
The most frequent records are rip current and surf records: 2,398 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Hawaii's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip currents and high surf | 2,398 | 943 | 1996-2026 | 15 | 49 | $745K | 2 of 4 |
| Heavy rain | 571 | 474 | 2002-2024 | 0 | 2 | – | 1 of 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | 260 | 120 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 29 | $1.7M | 1 of 4 |
| Floods | 238 | 184 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 19 | $1.2B | 1 of 4 |
| Drought | 219 | 89 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 4 |
| Wildfires | 84 | 81 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 5 | $2.8M | 1 of 4 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 50 | 45 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 19 | 1957-2015 | 0 | 2 | $5.1M | 1 of 4 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 8 | 2001-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 13 | 9 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 2 of 4 |
| Lightning | 12 | 11 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.2M | 1 of 4 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 11 | 9 | 2013-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 3 | 2018-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Hail | 7 | 3 | 2012-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Honolulu County had?
NOAA records 20 tornadoes in Honolulu County from 1957 to 2015, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st of 4 Hawaii counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 20 tornadoes whose track touched Honolulu County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 20, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Hawaii.
Every tornado record filed for Honolulu County (20)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-23 | Ewa Beach, Honolulu County | EF0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-09 | Kailua, Honolulu County | EF0 1.29 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-02-11 | Barbers Pt Housing, Honolulu County | EF0 0.36 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2005-12-04 | Aiea, Honolulu County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-02-07 | Aiea, Honolulu County | F0 1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-01-25 | Waipahu, Honolulu County | F0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-07 | Mililani Town, Honolulu County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-02-11 | Honolulu County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-05-13 | Honolulu County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-09-26 | Honolulu County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-09-23 | Honolulu County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-03-18 | Honolulu County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-02-11 | Honolulu County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-02-11 | Honolulu County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-06-15 | Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1971-01-28 | Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1965-09-22 | Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1963-03-27 | Honolulu County | 0 | 1 | $25K step | |
| 1963-02-28 | Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1957-01-21 | Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Honolulu County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 high surf (1 injury and $100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A 22 foot boat capsized in high surf off of the waters of Aina Haina. The boat was carrying 5 passengers, all of those 5 were rescued with one passenger taken to the hospital in serious condition.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1330664)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone East Honolulu | 0 | 1 | $100K | |
| 2026-05-15 | Flash FloodMokuleia, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-05-15 | LightningKawela Bay, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2026-04-10 | Flash FloodKawela Bay, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $200K | |
| 2026-03-23 | Flash FloodKahuku, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2026-03-20 | Flash FloodKawela Bay, Honolulu County | 0 | 10 | $1.0B | |
| 2026-03-13 | LightningMakakilo City, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone East Honolulu | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Koolau Windward | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $200K |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Koolau Leeward | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Honolulu Metro | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Central Oahu | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-07-16 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Olomana A northeast swell caused by former Hurricane Celia generated surf of 6 to 12 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. The initial surge of energy produced rough conditions at Oahu's Makapuu Tidepools on the 16th, which resulted in the death of a father and ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-07-25 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu South Shore A swell from the southern hemisphere generated surf of 8 to 15 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. With the unusually high surf, lifeguards made 3000 preventive actions and 39 rescues on south and west shores just on Oahu alone. One soldier from Schofield Barracks was swept out to sea and drowned ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-10-14 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu North Shore Three people were swept into the ocean by a large wave at Keiki Beach. Two of the people were pulled out of the water unconscious and one person was pulled out of the water conscious by Ocean Safety. One person was pronounced dead at the scene by Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and another was taken to the ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2015-10-27 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu North Shore A swell from a powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores of all the islands except Lanai; 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island. In the ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2013-06-04 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu South Shore A long period swell from the southern hemisphere generated surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of all the main Hawaiian Islands. In a few instances, water from the high surf flowed over adjacent roads and deposited sand and other debris. Lifeguards were busy throughout the episode, rescuing more than ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2005-12-18 | Strong WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Olomana A strong low north of the state, along with a cold front moving through the islands, brought gusty winds to most of the island chain. The winds damaged some roofs and caused several power outages in the isles. Most significantly, a falling tree limb injured a man and killed his young daughter as they hiked along ... | 40 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | High SurfHonolulu County · forecast zone Waianae Coast High and choppy surf caused a fifteen foot long boat to capsize off the Kapolei coast. As a result, a sixty six year old man fell overboard and went into cardiac arrest. He was transported by emergency medical services to the emergency room and later pronounced dead. There were two other people on board the vessel at ... | 1 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-07-06 | WildfireHonolulu County · forecast zone Waianae Coast According to KITV, Honolulu fire Department received a call at 2:33pm for a wildfire near Paakea road in Maili. A total of twenty nine Honolulu fire Department units along with units from the Federal Fire Department worked to contain the fire. The fire was ninety percent contained at 1:30 on Monday morning, and burnt ... | 1 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-20 | Flash FloodKawela Bay, Honolulu County | 0 | 10 | $1.0B | |
| 2004-10-30 | Flash FloodKailua, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $125M | |
| 2026-02-21 | Flash FloodKahuku, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2026-03-23 | Flash FloodKahuku, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2021-03-09 | Flash FloodKaneohe, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 2018-04-13 | Flash FloodAina Haina, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 1996-01-25 | Flash FloodWindward Oahu, Honolulu County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2007-08-12 | WildfireHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu North Shore | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: January 28, 1971 (tornado, Honolulu County); February 11, 1982 (tornado, Honolulu County); February 11, 1982 (tornado, Honolulu County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Honolulu County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 245 | 903 | 968 | 282 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 170 | 311 | 90 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 118 | 80 | 45 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 49 | 70 | 75 | 44 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 25 | 67 | 38 | 89 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 2 | 43 | 32 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Honolulu County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 509 · Feb 511 · Mar 480 · Apr 271 · May 175 · Jun 177 · Jul 159 · Aug 209 · Sep 222 · Oct 328 · Nov 370 · Dec 498 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Honolulu County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Honolulu County: 14 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 4 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and fire (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-25 | EM-3654 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nolo |
| 2026-04-07 | DR-4909 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2025-08-19 | FM-5609 | Fire | Kunia Road Fire |
| 2022-02-15 | DR-4639 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2020-07-25 | EM-3529 | Hurricane | Hurricane Douglas |
| 2020-04-01 | DR-4510 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3431 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-09-12 | EM-3404 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Olivia |
| 2018-08-22 | EM-3399 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lane |
| 2018-05-08 | DR-4365 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-04-08 | DR-1967 | Tsunami | Tsunami Waves |
| 2009-01-05 | DR-1814 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-08-14 | FM-2720 | Fire | Waialua Fire |
| 2006-10-17 | DR-1664 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2006-05-02 | DR-1640 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-08-19 | FM-2577 | Fire | Waikele Fire |
| 2005-08-15 | FM-2576 | Fire | Nanakuli Brush Fire |
| 2005-02-01 | DR-1575 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flash Flooding |
| 1996-11-26 | DR-1147 | Flood | Prolonged and Heavy Rains, High Surf,Flooding,Land/Mud Slide |
| 1996-11-18 | EM-3122 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-09-12 | DR-961 | Hurricane | Hurricane Iniki |
| 1988-01-08 | DR-808 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides & Flooding |
| 1982-11-27 | DR-671 | Typhoon | Typhoon Iwa |
| 1974-05-07 | DR-433 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Honolulu County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 238 flood or flash flood records for Honolulu County from 1996 to 2026, on 184 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Honolulu County ranks 138th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $69.9 million on 3,069 claims filed in Honolulu County; the most in one year was 273 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 28 · 1979: 32 · 1980: 112 · 1981: 34 · 1982: 158 · 1983: 40 · 1984: 43 · 1985: 53 · 1986: 27 · 1987: 120 · 1988: 120 · 1989: 29 · 1990: 25 · 1991: 155 · 1992: 250 · 1993: 12 · 1994: 33 · 1995: 28 · 1996: 122 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 10 · 1999: 11 · 2000: 6 · 2001: 15 · 2002: 13 · 2003: 51 · 2004: 68 · 2005: 18 · 2006: 173 · 2007: 17 · 2008: 172 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 20 · 2011: 49 · 2012: 68 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 42 · 2015: 31 · 2016: 74 · 2017: 24 · 2018: 271 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 158 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 273.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Honolulu County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Honolulu County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $517 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | $13M | 77 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | $330M | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $4.0M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $27M | once in about 68 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $93M | once in about 115 years (modeled) |
| Tsunami | Relatively High | $48M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $159K | once in about 144 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Next
- Tornadoes in HawaiiEvery Hawaii tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Rip currents and high surf in HawaiiThe state's rip current and surf records, by county, year and month
- The Hawaii recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Honolulu CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Honolulu County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis