Hawaii, 2002

Heavy Rain in Hawaii, May 13, 2002

May 13, 2002 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An upper trough induced heavy showers and thunderstorms over windward West and East Maui, which in turn produced minor stream and drainage ditch flooding. The rainfall also forced the closure of Kahekili Highway near Kahakuloa for several hours because of flooding in a low-lying area.

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.

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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.

An upper trough induced heavy showers and thunderstorms over windward West and East Maui, which in turn produced minor stream and drainage ditch flooding. The rainfall also forced the closure of Kahekili Highway near Kahakuloa for several hours because of flooding in a low-lying area. Ponding and rocks on the driving surface caused police to erect a barricade at Lower Nahiku Road for a time as well. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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 May 13, 10:56 AM HST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 10:56 AM HST, 3 hours 24 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST MON MAY 13 2002

SUMMARY...THE RAINY UNSETTLED AIR WILL REMAIN OVER THE STATE TODAY
BUT WILL BE GRADUALLY IMPROVING TOMORROW. FAIR SKIES ARE EXPECTED
BY WEDNESDAY.

DISCUSSION...THE LOW WHICH FORMED NORTHWEST OF KAUAI ASSISTED BY A
STRONG JETSTREAM...BOTH UNUSUALLY LATE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...ARE
BOTH PROJECTED TO MOVE AWAY AND WEAKEN BY TOMORROW. THEIR RESIDUAL
INSTABILITY AND REMAINING MOISTURE MAY STILL CAUSE OCCASIONALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY AND TONIGHT...MAINLY OVER MAUI COUNTY. TOMORROW
SHOULD BE A TRANSITION DAY BETWEEN TODAYS VERY UNSTABLE CONDITION
AND WEDNESDAYS RETURN TO DRIER AND MORE STABLE UPPER AIR. THE
SURFACE LOW SHOULD BE WELL DISSIPATED BY WEDNESDAY ALLOWING THE
INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC HIGH TO FULLY RETURN TRADE
WINDS TO THE ISLANDS.  MATSUDA

.HFO...WARNINGS.....NONE
.      WATCHES......FLASH FLOOD OAHU MAUI MOLOKAI AND LANAI
.      ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF CANCELLED AT 8 AM

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Maui

When
May 13, 2:20 PM HST to 5:15 PM HST
Where
Maui County, 8 mi NNW of Wailuku
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
20.868, -156.617 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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, May 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: 5287875.