Hawaii, 2002

Strong Wind in Hawaii, March 17 to 19, 2002

March 17 to 19, 2002 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Low pressure to the north of the islands and building high pressure to the west of Hawaii generated north to northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts to 50 mph, from Kauai to the western parts of the Big Island. Three boats anchored off Mala Wharf on Maui broke loose from their moorings because of the strong winds, and two sailboats ran aground at the Mala boat launching ramp.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
6

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.

Low pressure to the north of the islands and building high pressure to the west of Hawaii generated north to northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts to 50 mph, from Kauai to the western parts of the Big Island. Three boats anchored off Mala Wharf on Maui broke loose from their moorings because of the strong winds, and two sailboats ran aground at the Mala boat launching ramp. Neither sailboat was severely damaged. Also, a rescue crew from Coast Guard Station Maalaea in Maui assisted a 37-foot vessel that had been demasted off Lanai late Monday, March 18th. There were no other 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 Mar 17, 10:00 AM HST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 17, 10:00 AM HST, 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST SUN MAR 17 2002

SUMMARY...THE COLD FRONT HAS REACHED THE KOHALA MOUNTAINS ON THE
BIG ISLAND AT 10 AM THIS SUNDAY FORENOON. MISTY RAIN LINGERS ALONG
NORTH FACING SLOPES OF THE ISLANDS BEHIND THE FRONT FROM KAUAI TO
MAUI. HEAVY RAIN IS FALLING ALONG THE ROAD TO HANA.  LEE AREAS ARE
SEEING CONSIDERABLE SUNSHINE...AS WAS THE BIG ISLAND DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS. GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS ARE AFFECTING ALL THE
ISLANDS BEHIND THE FRONT.

DISCUSSION...LOW PRESSURE IS FORMING TO THE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS
NEAR 33N 150W WHILE HIGH PRESSURE IS MOVING IN OVER OUR AREA FROM
THE WEST. PRESSURES HAVE RISEN ABOUT 4 MB IN THE PAST 24 HOURS OVER
KAUAI AND SLIGHTLY LESS ELSEWHERE...AND STRONG GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS
ARE PUSHING THE AIR AROUND IN RESPONSE TO THESE CHANGES IN PRESSURE.

THE FRONT HAS MOVED FROM THE ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL IN OVER THE
NORTHERN TIP OF THE BIG ISLAND WHERE HEAVY SHOWERS ARE SPREADING
ACROSS THE KOHALA MOUNTAINS AND INTO THE WAIPIO VALLEY. THE FRONT
IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE
BIG ISLAND TODAY AND TONIGHT. CONVECTION WILL LIKELY FLARE UP OVER
THE BIG ISLAND DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AHEAD OF THE FRONT AS
SUNSHINE HAS BEEN PLENTIFUL THERE THIS MORNING. MISTY SHOWERS WILL
THEN LINGER FOR A WHILE BEHIND THE FRONT OVER THE KOHALA MOUNTAINS
AND ALONG THE NORTHFACING SLOPES OF MAUNA KEA ALONG THE HAMAKUA
COAST. ROSENDAL

.HFO...WARNINGS.....NONE
.      WATCHES......NONE
.      ADVISORIES...SMALL CRAFT ALL WATERS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Kauai

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM HST
Where
Kauai forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Lanai

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM HST
Where
Lanai forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Maui

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM HST
Where
Maui forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Molokai

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Oahu

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, West Hawaii

When
March 17, 10:30 AM HST to March 19, 10:00 AM 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, March 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: 5287413, 5287414, 5287415, 5287416, 5287417, 5287418.