Hawaii, 2003

Winter Storm in Hawaii, February 14 to 15, 2003

February 14 to 15, 2003 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

West to northwest winds gusted to 70 mph and temperatures fell into the 20's near the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Snow fell and accumulated to about a foot in some locations, and closed the Mauna Kea access road on Saturday, the 15th.

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.

West to northwest winds gusted to 70 mph and temperatures fell into the 20's near the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Snow fell and accumulated to about a foot in some locations, and closed the Mauna Kea access road on Saturday, the 15th. However, 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 Feb 14, 10:00 AM HST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 14, 10:00 AM HST, 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST FRI FEB 14 2003

SUMMARY...THE BAND OF SHOWERS THAT HAS BEEN OVER MAUI THIS MORNING
HAS REACHED UPOLO POINT AND THE KOHALA MOUNTAINS ON THE BIG ISLAND
AT 10 AM AS SOME HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING
NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL. THE BIG ISLAND WILL
THEREFORE RECEIVE SOME LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS DURING THE DAY TODAY
WITH THE THREAT OF HEAVY SHOWERS EXTENDING THROUGH TONIGHT OVER THE
SOUTHERN PART OF THE ISLAND.

DISCUSSION...THE FRONT OR SHEARLINE HAS MOVED TO THE ALENUIHAHA
CHANNEL AT 10 AM AND SHOWERS ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER THE KOHALA
MOUNTAINS OF THE BIG ISLAND. AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE BIG ISLAND
THE WINDS ARE MOSTLY LIGHT SOUTHERLIES WHILE BEHIND THE FRONT WINDS
ARE MOSTLY NORTHERLIES. THESE NORTHERLY WINDS ARE STRONG AND GUSTY
IN SPOTS AND A WIND ADVISORY WAS POSTED THIS MORNING FOR ALL
ISLANDS. THE WINDS ON THE BIG ISLAND WILL THUS BE INCREASING TODAY
AND TONIGHT WHEREAS AT THE OTHER END OF THE CHAIN OVER KAUAI AND
OAHU THINGS WILL BE SLOWLY IMPROVING. THE HIGH PRESSURE CELL NORTH
OF HERE WILL GIVE US A FEW DAYS OF MODERATE TRADES WHICH WILL BE
TEMPORARILY DIMINISHED ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS A WEAK FRONT ENTERS
OUR REGION. ROSENDAL

.HFO...WATCHES......NONE
.      WARNINGS.....NONE
.      ADVISORIES...USSFA MAUI COUNTY AND OAHU. WIND ALL ISLANDS.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, North and East Hawaii

When
February 14, 10:30 AM HST to February 15, 12:25 AM HST
Where
North and East Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, South Hawaii

When
February 14, 10:30 AM HST to February 15, 12:25 AM HST
Where
South Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER

Winter Storm, West Hawaii

When
February 14, 10:30 AM HST to February 15, 12:25 AM HST
Where
West Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, February 2003

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: 5328894, 5328982, 5328983.