An advancing cold front and upper trough brought heavy rain, thunderstorms, and/or flash flooding to portions of Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. The total cost of damages was not available.
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.
An advancing cold front and upper trough brought heavy rain, thunderstorms, and/or flash flooding to portions of Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. The total cost of damages was not available.
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 Dec 1, 12:30 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 1230 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 .UPDATE... UPDATED LAND AND MARINE ZONE FORECAST PRODUCTS TO INCLUDE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 4 UNTIL 6 AM HST THIS MORNING FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COASTAL WATERS. ALSO...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WAS EXTENDED UNTIL NOON HST TODAY. && .SYNOPSIS... UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS COMBINED WITH MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF A SURFACE FRONT WEST OF KAUAI WILL CONTINUE TO BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO KAUAI COUNTY...AND POSSIBLY OAHU...TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF KAUAI MAY PRODUCE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL ALSO BRING BRIEF SHOWERS TO MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG ISLAND THIS WEEKEND. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...AND A MORE TYPICAL TRADE WIND WEATHER PATTERN WILL EVENTUALLY RETURN NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION... A SURFACE FRONT WEST OF KAUAI IS MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARD. A SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDS SOUTH SOUTHWEST FROM A 1035 MB HIGH NEAR 38N 140W TO THE BIG ISLAND. AS A RESULT...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW EAST OF THE FRONT IS BRINGING AMPLE MOISTURE UP FROM THE TROPICS OVER MOST OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS EARLY THIS EVENING. AT THE SAME TIME...THE AXIS OF A SHARP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH EXTENDS FROM NEAR 30N 165.5W TO 18N 166W...OR ABOUT 400 MILES WEST OF LIHUE. THIS UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS ADVANCING EASTWARD AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THE DYNAMIC LIFT AND COOLER TEMPERATURES ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVANCING TROUGH ALOFT IS CAUSING THE ATMOSPHERE TO BE VERY UNSTABLE ACROSS THE WESTERN END OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLAND CHAIN. THIS INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH THE ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE IS PRODUCING WIDESPREAD RAINFALL WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF KAUAI AND NIIHAU. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE OCEAN NEAR KAUAI HAVE BEEN SEVERE DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. AS A RESULT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND SURROUNDING WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT. A NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MAY BE NEEDED FOR THIS AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOOKING AT RADAR REFLECTIVITIES...THERE ARE MULTIPLE NORTH NORTHEAST TO SOUTH SOUTHWEST ORIENTED LINES OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ADVANCING SLOWLY EASTWARD. HOWEVER...THE INDIVIDUAL CELLS WITHIN THESE LINES ARE MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHEAST. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND OAHU. AS THESE SLOW MOVING LINES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO ADVANCE TOWARD KAUAI AND NIIHAU...THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE THREAT OF TRAINING OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER KAUAI AND NIIHAU FROM TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. FOR THE MOMENT...MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE AFFECTING THE REMAINDER OF THE ISLANDS FROM OAHU EASTWARD. AS THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO ADVANCE EASTWARD LATER THIS EVENING...THE THREAT FOR FLOODING WILL INCREASE ON OAHU. ALSO...NOTE THE SOUTHERLY WINDS ACCELERATING DOWN THE STEEP SLOPES OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN ON KAUAI AND OAHU WILL LIKELY BRING STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO SOME NORTH AND NORTHEAST FACING AREAS. KAUAI COUNTY AND OAHU WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING RAINS ON SUNDAY...AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE CAN EXPECT SHOWERS RIDING THE SOUTHERLY WINDS TO BRING BRIEF MODERATE RAINFALL THROUGH SUNDAY. THE LATEST FORECAST GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BEGIN TO LIFT OUT TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHEAST BY SUNDAY EVENING. THIS IS EXPECTED TO ALLOW MORE STABLE CONDITIONS TO MOVE ACROSS THE ISLANDS. THE SURFACE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL NEAR OAHU BY MONDAY...WHERE IT WILL LIKELY WEAKEN IN PLACE. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE FAR NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE EASTERN ISLANDS...WITH A LIGHT NORTHERLY FLOW REMAINING IN THE VICINITY OF KAUAI. THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO DISSIPATE TUESDAY...AND THE REMNANT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE WILL BE PUSHED WESTWARD AS TRADE WINDS BECOME ESTABLISHED OVER THE WESTERN END OF THE ISLAND CHAIN. THE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE THE SURFACE HIGH WILL REMAIN FAR NORTHEAST OF THE ALOHA STATE NEXT WEEK DUE TO ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN FAR NORTHWEST OF THE STATE. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THE HIGH WILL MAINTAIN LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE NEW WEEK. SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO RETURN NEXT WEEKEND WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF INCREASED MOISTURE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR VOLCANIC HAZE TO BE CARRIED UP OVER THE SMALLER ISLANDS. && .AVIATION... THERE IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR MVFR COND...MTN OBSC...TURBULENCE... AND LIGHT ICING ACROSS KAUAI AND THE SURROUNDING WATERS TONIGHT...AS A SLOW MOVING LINE OF LAYERED CLOUDS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. SIGMET VICTOR SERIES COVER THE MAIN IMPACT AREAS AT THIS TIME...BUT AIRMETS FOR MTN OBSC...MOD TURB AND LIGHT ICING ACROSS KAUAI AND ADJ WATERS WILL LIKELY REMAIN THROUGH THE NIGHT. UPPER TROF TO THE WEST WILL SLOWLY BEGIN PUSHING THE SYSTEM EAST EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY. BREEZY SOUTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS KAUAI TONIGHT...WEAKENING SOMETIME SUNDAY. && .MARINE... A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY /SCA/ REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING FOR THE WATERS SURROUNDING KAUAI AND THE BIG ISLAND DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND ELEVATED ROUGH SEAS. THE SCA MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED INTO SUNDAY FOR SOME HAWAIIAN WATERS IF THE WINDS AND SEAS REMAIN HIGHER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST. THE CURRENT NORTHWEST SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY LOWER FROM TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. A SMALL SOUTH SOUTHWEST SWELL WILL PRODUCE A SMALL BUMP IN SURF ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. EAST FACING BEACHES WILL SEE SMALL TO MODERATE SURF NEXT WEEK DUE TO TRADE WINDS PRODUCING SOME SHORT PERIOD WIND SWELL. A MODEST NORTHWEST SWELL IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE WEDNESDAY...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE NEW WORK WEEK. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI-OAHU. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL NOON HST TODAY FOR KAUAI NORTHWEST WATERS-KAUAI WINDWARD WATERS-KAUAI LEEWARD WATERS-KAUAI CHANNEL- MAUI COUNTY WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND LEEWARD WATERS. && DISCUSSION/MARINE...HOUSTON AVIATION...FOSTER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 1220 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 HIZ002>004-011145- KAUAI LEEWARD-KAUAI MOUNTAINS-KAUAI WINDWARD- 1220 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 AT 1212 AM HST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 16 MILES WEST OF LIHUE... MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL BE CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE SOUTH AND WESTERN SLOPES OF KAUAI UNTIL 145 AM. FOSTER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 112 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 HIZ002>004-011230- KAUAI LEEWARD-KAUAI MOUNTAINS-KAUAI WINDWARD- 112 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 AT 100 AM HST...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS LEEWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS OF KAUAI. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL...CAUSING WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND FILL POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...ALONG WITH RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS. THIS STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 AM HST. REYNES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 238 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 HIZ002>004-011430- KAUAI LEEWARD-KAUAI MOUNTAINS-KAUAI WINDWARD- 238 AM HST SUN DEC 1 2013 AT 230 AM HST...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS KAUAI. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL...CAUSING WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND FILL POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...ALONG WITH RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS. THIS STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 AM HST. FOSTER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
318 AM HST SUN DEC 01 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0247 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG KILAUEA 22.21N 159.41W
12/01/2013 KAUAI HI EMERGENCY MNGR
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN OVER KUHIO HIGHWAY NEAR THE
KALIHIWAI BRIDGE.
&&
MFOSTERThe South Kauai radar (PHKI), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:32 UTC.
2 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 heavy rain, 1 lightning, 1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.
Kuhio Highway was closed at the Hanalei Bridge due to flash flooding.
Hauaala Road closed at Keapana Bridge due to water over the roadway.
Partial road closure due to a downed tree blocking the west bound lane of Kaumualii Highway near the Maluhia junction.
A strong wind gust brought down several large branches of a banyan tree along South Beretania Street in Honolulu near Punahou Street. The branches closed three lanes of the street for a time as crews cleaned up the debris.
A lightning strike brought down a power line in Kailua in windward Oahu. The line came to rest on parked vehicles, where a man with a fire extinguisher tried to put out the smoldering debris. He touched one of the vehicles and was severely shocked by the arcing line.
A portion of Menehune Road was closed due to debris - large boulders, tree branches, and mud - covering the roadway. Also, boulders damaged a water main.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Hawaii in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, December 2013
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: 483937, 483938, 483939, 483940, 484303, 484305, 484301, 484306.