Flash Flood in Hawaii, February 9, 2001

Name: Flash Flood in Hawaii, February 9, 2001
Start: 2001-02-09T09:20
End: 2001-02-09T14:00
Location: Hawaii

February 9, 2001 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Extensive flooding and road closures were reported across northern Kauai. Landslides occurred on roads in Wainiha and Kalihiwai.

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
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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.

Extensive flooding and road closures were reported across northern Kauai. Landslides occurred on roads in Wainiha and Kalihiwai. Kula and Hanalei schools were closed due to rain-related problems. Some lower floors of the Hanalei Bay Resort were flooded as well. Four feet of water was reported flowing across Wainiha Bridge during the late morning hours.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Honolulu, HI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 9, 7:30 AM HST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 7:30 AM HST, 1 hour 50 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE - CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
730 AM HST FRI FEB 09 2001

...CORRECTED FOR TIME OF ISSUANCE...

SUMMARY...THICK HIGH CLOUDS OBSCURE THE VIEW OF LOW CLOUDS STATEWIDE
THIS MORNING...BUT RADAR SHOWS THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DECREASED.
SHOWERS...SOME HEAVY...CONTINUE TO AFFECT WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS
OF MUCH OAHU AND KAUAI.  DRIER CONDITIONS EXIST OVER THE REMAINING
ISLANDS.  EXPECT THE SAME OVERALL PATTERN TO LAST THROUGH TONIGHT
AND TOMORROW.

DISCUSSION...CONVERGENT LOW LEVEL FLOW OVER AND WEST OF KAUAI WILL
CONTINUE THE THREAT OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THAT
ISLAND AT LEAST THROUGH TODAY AND POSSIBLY SATURDAY.  HIGH CLOUDS
SHOULD REMAIN STATEWIDE THROUGH SATURDAY AS WELL.  THE REST OF THE
ISLANDS SHOULD SEE MOIST SOUTHEAST FLOW WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR
PERIODS OF SHOWERS ALONG WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS...BUT THE MAIN
FLOOD THREAT REMAINS ON KAUAI.  POWELL

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......FLASH FLOOD WATCH KAUAI
.         ADVISORIES...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY KAUAI
.                      SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAUI EASTWARD

The radar

The South Kauai radar (PHKI), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Kauai

When: February 9, 9:20 AM HST to 2:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai County, Kilauea
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, February 2001

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5233024.