Funnel Cloud in Hawaii, May 6, 2003

Name: Funnel Cloud in Hawaii, May 6, 2003
Start: 2003-05-06T19:25
End: 2003-05-06T19:55
Location: Hawaii

May 6, 2003 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A few funnel clouds were spotted over the eastern coastal waters of Kauai. However, they did not form into waterspouts and did not adversely impact air traffic.

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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Wind
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Marine and coastal
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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.

A few funnel clouds were spotted over the eastern coastal waters of Kauai. However, they did not form into waterspouts and did not adversely impact air traffic.

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 6, 4:00 PM HST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 4:00 PM HST, 3 hours 25 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 PM HST TUE MAY 6 2003

SUMMARY...LIGHT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS TODAY WILL BE REPLACED BY
LIGHT TRADES WEDNESDAY. MODERATE TRADES ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY
THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ISOLATED SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED AT TIMES
MAINLY OVER WINDWARD AND MAUKA SECTIONS.

DISCUSSION...
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT REMAINS TO THE
NORTH NORTHWEST OF THE STATE. THIS HAS KEPT OUR WIND FLOW RATHER
LIGHT FAVORING A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION WITH SOME LOCATIONS
EXPERIENCING LAND AND SEA BREEZES. THIS LOW PRESSURE AREA IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTH AWAY FROM THE STATE WHICH WILL ALLOW TRADE
WINDS TO RETURN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN NORTHEAST OF THE STATE.
THIS SHOULD BEGIN TO OCCUR BY TOMORROW WITH TRADE WINDS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE TO THE 10 TO 25 MPH RANGE BY THURSDAY.

THE 12Z GFS MODEL HAS BACKED OFF ON EARLIER PREDICTIONS OF REPLACING
THE CURRENT LOW PRESSURE AREA WITH ANOTHER ONE BY THE WEEKEND. THE
MODEL NOW SHOWS A SLOWER AND WEAKER SOLUTION. THE TROUGH IS NOT
EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO OUR REGION TILL SATURDAY AND INSTEAD OF A
CUTOFF LOW TO OUR NORTH...THE MODEL SHOWS MORE OF A NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST ORIENTED TROUGH OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A TUTT. THE
MAIN EFFECT THIS TROUGH WILL HAVE IS THAT IT MAY ENHANCE SHOWERS A
BIT BUT THIS DEPENDS A LOT ON HOW MUCH MOISTURE MOVES INTO THE
ISLANDS FROM THE EAST. THE SHOWERS WILL AFFECT MAINLY WINDWARD AND
MAUKA AREAS WITH JUST BRIEF LIGHT SHOWERS OVER SOME LEE AREAS AS
TRADE WINDS BLOW SOME OF THESE SHOWERS TO THE LEE SIDES BEFORE THEY
DISSIPATE.

BURKE

.HFO...WATCHES......NONE
.      WARNINGS.....NONE
.      ADVISORIES...NONE.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, Kauai

When: May 6, 7:25 PM HST to 7:55 PM HST
Where: Kauai County, 10 mi E of Lihue
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, May 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: 5327586.