Hawaii, 1996

Flash Flood in Hawaii, September 8 to 9, 1996

September 8 to 9, 1996 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Warm topped convection associated with an upper trough was anchored over the higher slopes of the South Kohala District. Heavy rainfall occurred in a 3 to 5 mile radius upslope of Highway 190 between Waikoloa Road and Waimea Town.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.0 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.

Warm topped convection associated with an upper trough was anchored over the higher slopes of the South Kohala District. Heavy rainfall occurred in a 3 to 5 mile radius upslope of Highway 190 between Waikoloa Road and Waimea Town. Flood waters closed parts of Highway 190 with 3 to 4 feet of water. The flood waters were then carried by a gulch into Waikoloa Village where flooding occurred in condominiums adjacent to a golf course. Water and mud up to 3 feet deep damaged the lower units of two condominiums, causing $1 million in damages to 36 units.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Hawaii

When
September 8, 9:00 PM HST to September 9, 2:00 AM HST
Where
Hawaii County, Waikoloa, S Kohala
Property damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, September 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5581683.