Hawaii, 2002

Strong Wind in Hawaii, April 2, 2002

April 2, 2002 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

As a jet stream weakened over the Big Island of Hawaii, west to southwest winds decreased to the 30 to 40 mph range, with occasional gusts to 45 mph. However, there were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

As a jet stream weakened over the Big Island of Hawaii, west to southwest winds decreased to the 30 to 40 mph range, with occasional gusts to 45 mph. However, there were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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 Apr 2, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 PM HST TUE APR 2 2002

SUMMARY...TRADE WINDS ARE SLOWLY RETURNING TO THE STATE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AS HIGH PRESSURE NOSES IN NORTH OF HAWAII. EXPECT
TRADES IN THE 10 TO 20 MPH RANGE TO LAST THROUGH THURSDAY...FOLLOWED
BY LIGHT WINDS FRIDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE IS PUSHED SOUTH OVER THE ISLANDS ONCE AGAIN. SHOWERS FROM
THE SHEAR LINE REMNANT WILL LINGER OVER THE BIG ISLAND UNTIL
FRIDAY. EXPECT THE SHEAR LINE TO DISSIPATE IN PLACE BY
THEN...RESULTING IN DRIER CONDITIONS. A PROLONGED DRY AND PLEASANT
STRETCH OF WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE SMALLER ISLANDS AS WELL.

DISCUSSION...THE LOW FAR NORTH OF HAWAII IS LIFTING OUT TO THE NORTH
AND WEAKENING...RESULTING IN THE RETURN OF TRADE WINDS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AS HIGH PRESSURE NOSES IN BETWEEN THE LOW AND THE ISLANDS.
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL SUPPORT 10 TO 20 MPH WIND SPEEDS THROUGH
THURSDAY. AFTER THAT...THE GRADIENT BECOMES VERY SLACK. A 1022 MB
CENTER OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL PASS TO THE NORTH OF THE STATE
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY EAST OF 130W BY
FRIDAY. ANOTHER FRONT...NOW FAR OFF IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC...IS
FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC BY FRIDAY. THIS FRONT WILL
PUSH THE WEAK RIDGE NORTH OF THE STATE...EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM
THE HIGH FORECAST TO BE EAST OF 130W...BACK DOWN OVER THE ISLANDS.
IT IS FORECAST TO REMAIN OVER HAWAII INTO THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE
LIGHT WINDS FRIDAY AND THEREAFTER WILL ALLOW LOCAL LAND AND SEA
BREEZES TO FORM...CAUSING SKIES OVER MAUKA AREAS TO CLOUD UP EACH
AFTERNOON. IN SPITE OF THIS...GENERALLY DRY AND PLEASANT WEATHER IS
EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND.

POWELL

.HFO...WARNINGS.....WIND FOR SUMMITS DOWNGRADED TO ADVISORY AT
                    4 PM HST
.      WATCHES......NONE
.      ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF N AND NW SHORES
                    WIND FOR BI SUMMITS AS OF 4 PM HST

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, North and East Hawaii

When
April 2, 4:00 PM HST to 8:30 PM HST
Where
North and East Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, South Hawaii

When
April 2, 4:00 PM HST to 8:30 PM HST
Where
South Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, West Hawaii

When
April 2, 4:00 PM HST to 8:30 PM HST
Where
West Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, April 2002

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: 5290699, 5290700, 5290701.