Maui County, Hawaii
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 15009 · population 164,632 · 1,162 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4,684 records for Maui County, Hawaii from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,332 days; the most frequent are rip current and surf records (2,891 records). 3,803 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 August 8, 2023 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Maui Leeward West, which covers the county: 102 deaths, 32 injuries and $5.3 billion in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 31 declarations naming the county since 1968, 29 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
- 4,684on 1,332 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11345 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.4Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 31latest 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 Maui County most?
The most frequent records are rip current and surf records: 2,891 since 2004. 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 | 2,891 | 637 | 2004-2025 | 3 | 1 | $20K | 3 of 4 |
| Drought | 798 | 176 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Heavy rain | 627 | 440 | 2002-2026 | 5 | 0 | – | 3 of 4 |
| Floods | 189 | 131 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 1 | $53M | 3 of 4 |
| Wildfires | 71 | 67 | 1998-2024 | 102 | 42 | $5.4B | 2 of 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | 53 | 35 | 2004-2026 | 0 | 0 | $462K | 4 of 4 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 19 | 18 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 4 |
| Lightning | 10 | 6 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 1 | $49K | 2 of 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 6 | 2004-2025 | 0 | 0 | $132K | 3 of 4 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1967-2011 | 0 | 0 | $22K | 3 of 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 3 | 2013-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Hail | 3 | 3 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 2008-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 4 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2018-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 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 Maui County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Maui County from 1967 to 2011, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Maui County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Hawaii.
Every tornado record filed for Maui County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-02-11 | I Kihei, Maui County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-09-23 | Lanai Airport, Maui County | EF0 0.81 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-25 | Haiku, Maui County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-23 | Kaumalapau Harbor, Maui County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-04-22 | Maui County | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Maui County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 7, 2026 flash flood ($250,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Heavy rain developed over the eastern slopes of Maui. Emergency management and the local news reported multiple impacts. Hawaii News Now reported Hana High & Elementary School was temporarily closed on Tuesday April 7 due to flooding. The Department of Education said some classrooms had water damage. Water was also reported on Hana Highway.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1320462)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | Flash FloodNahiku, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $250K | |
| 2026-03-21 | Heavy RainShipwreck Beach, Maui County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-21 | Flash FloodIlio Point, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2026-03-21 | Flash FloodHonokohau, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2026-03-13 | Flash FloodHonokohau, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2026-03-12 | Flash FloodKaunakakai, Maui County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Flash FloodKahului, Maui County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-21 | Flash FloodHappy Valley, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2026-02-21 | Flash FloodWaianapanapa Sp, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-02-09 | High WindMaui County · forecast zone Maui Leeward West | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-02-08 | High WindMaui County · forecast zone Windward Haleakala | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-02-08 | Flash FloodWaianapanapa Sp, Maui County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-08 | WildfireMaui County · forecast zone Maui Leeward West A wildfire near Lahaina was reported at 6:40 am HST and was contained within 3 hours. Another fire was reported around 3:30pm and prompted evacuation orders by 4:30 pm. However, power lines downed by the damaging winds closed roads and restricted evacuation routes. Wildfire continued to spread rapidly and quickly ... | 102 | 32 | $5.3B | |
| 2021-02-27 | Heavy RainWaihee, Maui County Two hikers went missing along the Waikamoi Trail in East Maui. As of this writing, the body of one hiker had been found, apparently swept out to sea over a waterfall in the area. The other hiker remained unaccounted for, but he likely perished as well. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-11-26 | Heavy RainWailua, Maui County Heavy rain caused the Honomaele Stream to rise above its normal level. A married couple from Hana, Maui, apparently tried to cross the stream when it was flowing rapidly with the heavy rain waters. Their vehicle was located the next day downstream, but the man and wife were not found. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-04-10 | Flash FloodKipahulu, Maui County A 6-foot wall of water moving down Palikea Stream in Haleakala National Park, in the southeast part of East Maui, swept a Kentucky man and his daughter over a 184-foot precipice at Makahiku Falls. Heavy showers falling at the higher elevations of Mt. Haleakala generated flash flooding conditions over eastern and ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-01-27 | Flash FloodI Kihei, Maui County Flash flooding closed Pulehu Road was above the landfill, South Kihei Road near Kulanihakoi Gulch, and Piilani Highway near Nuu. A firefighter helping to clear flood waters was swept into a storm drain and carried about 800 yards to the ocean at around 1 pm HST. He succumbed to injuries on February 4, 2023. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-02-18 | Heavy RainKahakuloa, Maui County A 26-year-old woman died when she was swept out to sea after the place where she was swimming near Hana became swollen by rainwater that had fallen over the upper slopes of Haleakala. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-11 | High SurfMaui County · forecast zone Maui Windward West A swell from a powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State caused surf of 20 to 35 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-11 | High SurfMaui County · forecast zone Maui Central Valley A swell from a powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State caused surf of 20 to 35 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-08 | WildfireMaui County · forecast zone Maui Leeward West | 102 | 32 | $5.3B | |
| 2023-08-08 | WildfireMaui County · forecast zone South Maui/Upcountry | 0 | 0 | $53M | |
| 2026-03-13 | Flash FloodHonokohau, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2021-03-08 | Flash FloodHaiku, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2026-03-21 | Flash FloodIlio Point, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2002-01-29 | Flash FloodCountywide, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2003-08-06 | WildfireKahului, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2022-05-01 | Flash FloodMakena, Maui County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 22, 1967 (tornado, Maui 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 Maui 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 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 893 | 1,519 | 479 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 76 | 309 z | 413 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 154 | 375 | 98 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 42 | 50 | 63 | 34 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 2 | 29 | 31 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 17 | 22 | 14 |
Drought in the 2010s: 309 records against 76 in the decade before, 309 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Maui County days with a record above.
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 Maui County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 591 · Feb 499 · Mar 503 · Apr 300 · May 209 · Jun 274 · Jul 272 · Aug 267 · Sep 337 · Oct 435 · Nov 443 · Dec 554 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Maui County
FEMA's register lists 31 declarations that include Maui County: 17 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 9 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (10) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 2025-09-23 | FM-5613 | Fire | Holomua Fire |
| 2023-08-10 | DR-4724 | Fire | Wildfires and High Winds |
| 2023-08-09 | FM-5475 | Fire | Lahaina Fire |
| 2023-08-09 | FM-5476 | Fire | Upcountry Fire |
| 2023-08-09 | FM-5477 | Fire | Pulehu Fire |
| 2022-02-15 | DR-4639 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2021-05-13 | DR-4604 | Flood | 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 |
| 2019-10-23 | FM-5294 | Fire | Kahana Ridge Fire |
| 2018-09-27 | DR-4395 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lane |
| 2018-09-12 | EM-3404 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Olivia |
| 2018-08-22 | EM-3399 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lane |
| 2016-10-06 | DR-4282 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2014-09-12 | DR-4194 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Iselle |
| 2012-04-18 | DR-4062 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2011-04-08 | DR-1967 | Tsunami | Tsunami Waves |
| 2010-06-09 | FM-2844 | Fire | Maalaea Fire |
| 2009-08-31 | FM-2834 | Fire | Kaunakakai Fire |
| 2008-02-06 | DR-1743 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, High Surf, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2007-06-28 | FM-2701 | Fire | Olowalu Fire |
| 2006-10-17 | DR-1664 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2006-09-02 | FM-2673 | Fire | Ma'alaea Fire |
| 2000-11-09 | DR-1348 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-09-12 | DR-961 | Hurricane | Hurricane Iniki |
| 1982-04-22 | DR-656 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1980-02-06 | DR-613 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Surf & Flooding |
| 1968-09-13 | DR-251 | 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 Maui County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 189 flood or flash flood records for Maui County from 1996 to 2026, on 131 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Maui County ranks 375th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $26.1 million on 819 claims filed in Maui County; the most in one year was 158 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 22 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 33 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 11 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 30 · 1989: 10 · 1990: 4 · 1992: 68 · 1993: 24 · 1995: 7 · 1996: 17 · 1997: 19 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 6 · 2002: 17 · 2003: 16 · 2004: 13 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 6 · 2007: 65 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 24 · 2011: 75 · 2012: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 16 · 2017: 19 · 2018: 24 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 31 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 23 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 21 · 2026: 158; the other years: 0.
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 Maui County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Maui County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $132 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | $2.4M | once in about 1,000 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $59M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.5M | 56 a year (modeled) |
| Tsunami | Relatively High | $31M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $33M | once in about 27 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $3.8M | once in about 234 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $553K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $246K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Maui County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
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 Maui CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Maui County's FEMA declarations (CSV)31 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis