Hawaii, 2004Wildfire in Hawaii, March 22, 2004
March 22, 2004 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone
1 wildfire, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- $200
- 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 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 22, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 22, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST MON MAR 22 2004
.SYNOPSIS...
WET...UNSTABLE TRADE WINDS WILL CONTINUE BRINGING HEAVY AMOUNTS OF
RAINFALL TO WINDWARD AND MAUKA SECTIONS THROUGH THE COMING WEEK. A
LINGERING SHEARLINE AT THE SURFACE IS PROVIDING THE MOISTURE AND
RECURRENT TROUGHING ALOFT JUST WEST OF THE STATE IS PROVIDING THE
LIFT TO ENHANCE THE RAINFALL. SHOWERS WILL FAVOR WINDWARD AND MAUKA
AREAS...BUT LEEWARD AREAS WILL GET WET AT TIMES AS WELL. TRADE WINDS
WILL CONTINUE AT MODERATE TO FRESH STRENGTH.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
A MOIST FLOW OF AIR ALONG A STATIONARY SHEAR LINE OVER THE ISLANDS
IS PROVIDING COPIOUS MOISTURE UNDERNEATH RECURRENT TROUGHING ALOFT
OVER AND JUST TO THE WEST OF THE STATE. THE RESULT HAS BEEN RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF UP TO 5 TO 7 INCHES IN 24 HOURS AT SOME OF THE WETTER
WINDWARD AND MAUKA SPOTS SUCH AS DEEP IN THE MANOA VALLEY ON OAHU
AND ON THE CATCH-BASIN SLOPES MAUKA OF HILO ON THE BIG ISLAND. THE
FORECAST MODELS HANG ON TO THIS PATTERN RIGHT THROUGH THE COMING
WEEK...SO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE ARE WELL ADVISED TO KEEP
THOSE RAINCOATS AND UMBRELLAS HANDY.
LEEWARD SIDES OF THE ISLANDS WILL SEE SOMEWHAT DRIER CONDITIONS...
BUT CLOUDS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL STILL BE THE RULE EVEN THERE
DUE TO THE DEPTH OF THE MOISTURE...10 TO 15 THOUSDAND FEET AT
PRESENT...AND THE STRENGTH OF THE TRADE WINDS. THE SHEARLINE IS A
REMNANT FEATURE OF LOW PRESSURE WHICH MOVED NORTHEAST INTO THE GULF
OF ALASKA TWO DAYS AGO. THIS LOW HAS TURNED INTO A VERY STRONG
STORM LOW WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS BLOWING AROUND ITS NORTHWEST
SIDE...POINTING A BUILDING FETCH OF LARGE WAVES TOWARD THE ISLANDS
THE WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE US VERY LARGE SURF FROM A MORE NORTHERLY
DIRECTION THAN WE ARE ACCOSTOMED TO. THUS...ALONG WITH THE VERY WET
TRADE WIND WEATHER...ISLAND RESIDENTS AND BEACHGOERS CAN EXPECT
RISING SURF ALONG NORTH AND EAST FACING SHORES THROUGH MIDWEEK AT
LEAST.
&&
.WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY...EAST AND NORTH FACING SHORES
FARRELL
Wildfire, West Hawaii Including Leeward Kohala and Kona
- When
- March 22, 1:30 PM HST to 8:00 PM HST
- Where
- West Hawaii Including Leeward Kohala and Kona forecast zone
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $200
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A fire blackened about 400 acres of grass and scrub brush in the leeward section of the Big Island of Hawaii. The blaze was located near Kaupulehu, 2 miles upslope from Queen Kaahumanu Highway. The fire caused minor burns to two firemen and destroyed $200 worth of PVC irrigation pipe.
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
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: 5431291.