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Hawaii high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 4 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 685 high wind and dust records in Hawaii from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 21 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the December 18, 2005 strong wind in Honolulu County: 1 death and 1 injury. Hawaii ranks 44th of 52 states and territories by count and 8th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Hawaii, 1996 to 2026

Wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $1 million
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
6851996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
21average
Deaths
543 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$13Mas filed
Busiest year
200160 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are high wind and dust records common in Hawaii?

Hawaii averages about 21 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 44th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2001 (60). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Hawaii records 1067 high wind and dust records since 1996, 8th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Rhode Island 7061
  2. 2. New Jersey 4882
  3. 3. Massachusetts 4776
  4. 4. Delaware 3705
  5. 5. Maryland 1330
  6. 6. Connecticut 1301
  7. 7. Vermont 1178
  8. 8. Hawaii 1067
  9. 9. New York 1028
  10. 10. Wyoming 900

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Hawaii have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Honolulu County leads Hawaii: 120 days with a high wind record since 1996, 199.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Honolulu County has the most wind records (260 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Honolulu County 199.7 (260)
  2. Kauai County 180.7 (208)
  3. Hawaii County 33.3 (164)
  4. Maui County 30.1 (53)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the windy season in Hawaii?

41% of its high wind and dust records since 1996 fell in January and February. The busiest month is February (151 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 129 · Feb 151 · Mar 89 · Apr 45 · May 20 · Jun 7 · Jul 12 · Aug 24 · Sep 8 · Oct 6 · Nov 56 · Dec 138 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Hawaii?

Hawaii: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
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 –
2014-01-22 Strong WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Central Oahu A male tourist from Japan was hit by a falling tree branch at Leilehua Golf Course in central Oahu and died from his injuries. 35 kt wind 1 0 –
2009-02-26 Strong WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu South Shore A woman in her 60s was walking along Waimanu Street in Honolulu when she was struck by a falling tree branch. She was critically injured, and later died at the hospital. 43 kt wind 1 0 –
2002-11-15 Strong WindKauai County · forecast zone Kauai Winds gusting to 40 mph, associated with a shear line moving through the isle of Kauai, were strong enough to snap off the top of a coconut tree on the Wailua Golf Course in Lihue. A worker standing under the tree was struck by the falling debris and fatally injured. 1 0 –
2004-01-14 High WindKauai County · forecast zone Kauai A fast-moving cold front brought strong winds to much of the Aloha State on the 14th. A significant number of trees and power lines were blown down, closing roads on Oahu and Kauai for several hours. Media reports indicated that over 100 homes on Oahu suffered roof damage. At least three homes on the Big Island of ... 60 kt wind 1 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest high wind and dust records in Hawaii

Hawaii: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1997-02-24 High WindKauai County · forecast zone Island Of Hawaii 0 0 $7.5M
1996-03-03 High WindKauai County · forecast zone Kauai Mountains 0 0 $2.1M
2026-03-13 High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Koolau Windward One storm episode: 10 records in 3 places, 2026-03-13 to 2026-03-14; the totals are the episode's. 60 kt wind 0 1 $545K
2011-03-04 Strong WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Oahu South Shore 48 kt wind 0 0 $459K
2026-02-08 High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Honolulu Metro One storm episode: 6 records in 2 places, 2026-02-08 to 2026-02-09; the totals are the episode's. 52 kt wind 0 0 $320K
2011-12-10 Strong WindHawaii County · forecast zone Big Island North And East 43 kt wind 0 0 $262K
1996-12-30 High WindKauai County · forecast zone Oahu 0 4 $169K
2026-02-02 High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Koolau Windward One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. 50 kt wind 0 0 $130K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Hawaii?

Hawaii's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

High wind and dust storms: Hawaii and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeHawaiiUnited StatesHawaii's share
1996-9911414,0260.81%
2000s25637,2540.69%
2010s22441,7480.54%
2020-269136,3000.25%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Hawaii

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-03-14 High WindHawaii County · forecast zone Kona 69 kt wind 0 0 $200K
2026-03-14 High WindHawaii County · forecast zone Kohala 60 kt wind 0 1 –
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
2026-03-13 High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Ewa Plain 50 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-13 High WindHonolulu County · forecast zone Waianae Coast 50 kt wind 0 0 $15K
2026-03-13 High WindKauai County · forecast zone Kauai Southwest 50 kt wind 0 0 $10K
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

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

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