A cold front and an upper-level low combined to generate severe weather across much of the Aloha State. Significant weather included thunderstorms, flash flooding, record-setting hail, and a tornado.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.
A cold front and an upper-level low combined to generate severe weather across much of the Aloha State. Significant weather included thunderstorms, flash flooding, record-setting hail, and a tornado. Although the total cost of damages was not available for the entire state, preliminary numbers include $2 million in infrastructure damage on Kauai and $3.2 million in Maui. There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries.
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 8, 3:40 PM HST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 340 PM HST THU MAR 8 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO KEEP THE WEATHER UNSETTLED THROUGH SATURDAY...WHILE A STRONG SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM FAR NORTHWEST OF THE STATE WILL MAINTAIN STRONG AND GUSTY TRADES INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALL ISLANDS WILL BE VULNERABLE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT THE HEAVY WEATHER TO ABATE SATURDAY...WITH A RETURN TO A MORE TYPICAL TRADE WIND WEATHER PATTERN. && .DISCUSSION... WINDWARD WEST MAUI TOOK THE BRUNT OF SOME HEAVY SHOWERS AROUND LUNCH TIME...WHERE AT LEAST 2 OR 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A SHORT PERIOD. THE ACTIVITY HAS JUST ABOUT ENDED THERE...OR HAVE MOVED DOWNWIND TO MOLOKAI. OTHER SHOWERS CONTINUE TO AFFECT WINDWARD HALEAKALA. SHOWERS ARE ALSO PRESENT ACROSS WINDWARD OAHU AND THE KOOLAUS...AND SHOWERS APPEARS TO BE INCREASING ALONG THE WINDWARD COAST OF THE BIG ISLAND. ISOLATED SHOWERS TRIED TO GET GOING OVER THE KONA SLOPES BUT DID NOT LAST LONG SO FAR. ALL FORECAST MODELS POINTS TO FURTHER DEEPENING OF THE UPPER TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER THE ISLANDS. THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A DISTURBANCE DROPPING SOUTH ALONG 162W LONGITUDE. WE ARE LOOKING AT A LOW BEING PINCHED OFF JUST WEST OF KAUAI IN THE NEXT 12 HOURS. WE EXPECT HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE AREA WIDE TONIGHT AND THE BRUNT OF THE WEATHER TO OCCUR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE LOW STARTS TO HEADS WEST AND WEAKEN...THUS WE EXPECT IMPROVING CONDITIONS SATURDAY. IN LIGHT OF THIS SCENARIO...THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 4 AM HST SATURDAY. WE HAVE A WIND ADVISORY POSTED FOR LANAI FOR SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. THE NORTH WINDS ARE BEING ACCELERATED THROUGH THE PAILOLO CHANNEL. AS THE WIND DIRECTION BECOMES MORE EASTERLY TONIGHT...THE WINDS SHOULD DIE DOWN. OTHER ISLANDS SUCH AS OAHU AND KAUAI WILL ALSO BE QUITE WINDY THIS EVENING. SO WE WILL BE MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY SHOULD THE WIND ADVISORY BE EXPANDED TO COVER OTHER ISLANDS...AND POSSIBLE GALE WARNING FOR SOME OF THE CHANNELS. THUNDERSTORMS FORMED OFF THE KONA COAST AND THE DEBRIS IS NOW CROSSING THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS. THE AIR TEMP LOWERED TO AT OR BELOW FREEZING...AND WITH THE ADDED MOISTURE...SOME FROZEN PRECIP OCCURRED. NEVER THE LESS...WE EXPECT MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS TO FORM DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THUS...WE HAVE ISSUED THE WINTER WEATHER WATCH FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS THROUGH FRIDAY. && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS ARE ON THE PESSIMISTIC SIDE GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD +RA AND ISOL/SCAT TSRA OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE FURTHER OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. CONFIDENCE IN THE TAFS REMAINS MODERATE AT BEST. GUSTY NE WINDS AND PERIODIC LOW VIS/CIGS ARE LIKELY IN THE CRITICAL PERIOD AND LONGER TERM. A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LANAI THROUGH TONIGHT...PHNY WILL BE VERY WINDY. AIRMETS REMAIN POSTED FOR IFR CONDITIONS OVER SOME MT AREAS...LLVL TURB AND ICING IN ANY CONVECTION AND THE PRECIP LAYERS. THESE WILL CONTINUE WILL SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS AS THE WEATHER EVOLVES. SIGMET ROMEO ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT EXTENDING FROM THE WINDWARD MAUI COUNTY WATERS NEWD ALONG THE MAINLAND ROUTES FOR ABOUT 800 NM. CONVECTION MAY BECOME ISOL AT TIMES...BUT GIVEN THE HIGH TRAFFIC AREA THE SIGMET WILL LIKELY REMAIN FOR A WHILE. && .MARINE... THE WAVE WATCH INDICATES A RISING SHORT PERIOD EAST SWELL TONIGHT. THUS A HIGH SURF ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE EAST FACING SHORES OF ALL ISLANDS TO UNTIL 4 PM HST FRIDAY. THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS FOR WINDS AND/OR COMBINED SEAS...WITH THESE CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY MORNING. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MAUI MOLOKAI LANAI OAHU KAUAI UNTIL 6 AM HST SATURDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST SATURDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS. HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE EAST FACING SHORES TO UNTIL 4 PM HST FRIDAY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS UNTIL 4 PM HST FRIDAY. WIND ADVISORY FOR THE ISLAND OF LANAI UNTIL 4 AM HST FRIDAY. && LAU
The Kamuela/Kohala Apt radar (PHKM), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:24 UTC.
14 flash flood, 8 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A resident on the Big Island of Hawaii reported hail near 1 in size along Mana Road in Kamuela.
Dime size hail broke a jalousie window in a house along Kawaihau Road in Kapaa on Kauai.
Bridge at mile marker 29.5 along the Hana Highway was impassable due to flooding waters.
Debris flow occurred along Hana Highway at mile marker 11.
Flooding waters closed Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei Bridge.
Water from heavy rain closed Kuhio Highway in the vicinity of the Wailua Golf Course on Kauai.
Public reported golf ball size hail in conjunction with strong winds in Hana on Maui.
Strong winds destroyed a portion of the roof on the Hana Hotel on Maui.
A debris flow along Kapule Highway on Kauai closed all three lanes of traffic near the Kauai Marriott.
A debris flow along Kuhio Highway south of the Kalihiwai Bridge closed both lanes of traffic.
A large tree branch fell and hit power lines on Kalihi Street in Honolulu. Hawaiian Electric reported about 30 customers were without power.
A debris flow along Kuhio Highway near mile marker 1.5 closed on lane of traffic on Kauai.
The Hana Hotel on Maui reported rising stream waters entered the building, washed over the road, and washed mud into surrounding areas and the swimming pool.
Flooding waters closed Kuhio Highway near mile marker 13 on the island of Kauai.
One inch hail was observed at Kaneohe Marine Base Hawaii.
Individual reported hail of between 1.5 to 2 inches in size in Kaneohe on Oahu.
Hail about 1.75 inches in size observed by a resident near Aikahi Park in Kailua on Oahu.
Honolulu Police reported three feet of water over Kamehameha Highway near Waikane on Oahu.
A hail stone saved by a resident near Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Oahu measured 4 1/4 inches on the long axis, was 2 1/4 inches wide, and 2 inches tall.
A resident of Kailua reported 2-inch hail.
Flooding waters were several feet deep in yards and on roads in Laie on Oahu.
A National Weather Service Honolulu Damage Survey team confirmed a waterspout moved ashore as an EF0 tornado in Lanikai and tracked southwest, impacting portions of the Enchanted Lakes subdivision in Kailua on Oahu. Several roofs were damaged or destroyed, trees were downed, road signs were mangled, and power lines were snapped.
Water was reported overflowing along a portion of Mikiola Drive in Kaneohe on Oahu.
Water from heavy downpours closed Kalihiwai Road West leading to Kalihiwai Beach on Kauai.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Hawaii in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Hawaii, 2012Warnings in Hawaii, March 2012
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: 365978, 365979, 365968, 365969, 365970, 365971, 365988, 365990, 365972, 365973, 365976, 365974, 365977, 365975, 365980, 365981, 365982, 365983, 365989, 365984, 365985, 365991, 365987, 365986.