Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Hawaii, January 27 to 28, 2013

Name: Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Hawaii, January 27 to 28, 2013
Start: 2013-01-27T15:23
End: 2013-01-28T19:59
Location: Hawaii

January 27 to 28, 2013 · NWS HFO · 10 events in 3 counties and zones

A winter storm system triggered heavy rain and flash flooding over the islands from Kauai to Maui. There were no reports of serious injuries.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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 winter storm system triggered heavy rain and flash flooding over the islands from Kauai to Maui. There were no reports of serious injuries. The costs of property damage were not available.

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 Jan 27, 10:00 AM HST, 5 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 10:00 AM HST, 5 hours 23 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST SUN JAN 27 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL REACH KAUAI LATER
TODAY...THEN MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD DOWN THE MAIN ISLAND CHAIN THROUGH
TONIGHT AND MONDAY. EXPECT HEAVY SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. TRADE WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO RETURN BEGINNING ON TUESDAY...WITH DRIER CONDITIONS AND MAINLY
WINDWARD AND MAUKA SHOWERS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A COLD FRONT LESS THAN 200 MILES NORTHWEST OF KAUAI CONTINUES TO
APPROACH THE MAIN ISLAND CHAIN THIS MORNING. RADAR SHOWS HEAVY
SHOWERS ARE FORMING AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITHIN CONVERGENT LOW LEVEL
SOUTHERLY FLOW AROUND KAUAI. HEAVY SHOWERS ARE ALSO FORMING SOUTH OF
OAHU. UNTIL THE FRONT ARRIVES...THESE SHOWERS WILL MOVE ROUGHLY
SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS THE AREA. BOUTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED
ACROSS NIIHAU...KAUAI AND OAHU THROUGH MONDAY BOTH WITH THE FRONTAL
BAND AND WITH SHOWERS FORMING WITHIN THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE
PREFRONTAL ENVIRONMENT. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO OCCUR FARTHER
SOUTHEAST DOWN THE ISLAND CHAIN...BUT THE LIKELIHOOD IS LOWER SINCE
WE EXPECT THE FRONT TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN AS IT MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD.
MODELS SHOW RESIDUAL SHOWERS MAY LINGER ACROSS MAUI COUNTY AND
POSSIBLY THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH TUESDAY.

MOST OF THE ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUPPORTING UPPER TROUGH IS
NORTH OF THE MAIN ISLANDS...BUT TEMPERATURES ALOFT ARE COLD ENOUGH
AND INSTABILITY IS HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST THROUGH MONDAY. IF THUNDERSTORMS
OCCUR...THE MAIN THREAT WILL ACROSS NIIHAU...KAUAI...OAHU AND
SURROUNDING WATERS TODAY...MOVING DOWN TO MAUI AND THE BIG ISLAND
TONIGHT AND MONDAY.

SINCE THE FRONT IS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST...KAUAI AND NIIHAU
WILL BE AFFECTED FIRST. WE EXPECT HEAVY SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THESE ISLANDS THIS MORNING...WITH OAHU
LIKELY JOINING THE CLUB BY THIS AFTERNOON. MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG
ISLAND ISLAND WILL SEE ENHANCED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS
TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. MODELS DISAGREE ON THE SPEED OF THE FRONT
ACROSS THE ISLANDS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE FRONT DISSIPATES NEAR MAUI
OR PASSES BEYOND THE BIG ISLAND...SO OUR FORECAST MAY BE ADJUSTED AS
THIS EVENT UNFOLDS. RIGHT NOW WE FAVOR THE GFS SOLUTION GIVEN ITS
SLIGHTLY BETTER INITIALIZATION AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. THE FRONT
WILL WEAKEN AND EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE AS ITS PARENT LOW MOVES WELL
AWAY FROM THE AREA BY LATE MONDAY AND INTO EARLY TUESDAY.
HOWEVER...AS TRADE WINDS RETURN LATER IN THE WEEK...ENOUGH REMNANT
MOISTURE WILL LINGER ACROSS THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS TO FUEL
WINDWARD AND MAUKA SHOWERS. SOME SNOW SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE AT THE
BIG ISLAND SUMMITS WITH COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT MONDAY LATE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

&&

.AVIATION...
MOST TAF SITES ARE PRESENTLY EXPERIENCING VFR CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR
PHLI WHERE THERE HAS BEEN OCNL MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED
WITH PASSING SHOWERS.

AIRMET TANGO IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA FOR TEMPO MODERATE
TURB BETWEEN FL300 AND FL400...AND BLW 090 FOR KAUAI AND OAHU.
AIRMET SIERRA IS IN EFFECT FOR MOUNTAIN OBSC FOR KAUAI THIS MORNING.
THIS MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED TO OAHU THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO CLOUDS
AND SHRA ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING FRONT.

&&

.MARINE...
A FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BRING CHOPPY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE LEEWARD
WATERS AROUND THE SMALLER ISLANDS TODAY THROUGH LATE MONDAY.
HEAVY RAINS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH MONDAY.

THERE IS ENOUGH ENERGY EXPECTED WITH THE NEXT NORTHWEST SWELL TO
PROMPT ISSUANCE OF HIGH SURF WARNINGS FOR EXPOSED NORTH AND/OR WEST
SHORES OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS...BEGINNING AT 6 PM HST TODAY AND
LASTING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH SURF ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT
SPECIFICALLY FOR WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND THE BIG ISLAND FOR
THE SAME TIME PERIOD.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI-OAHU.

HIGH SURF WARNING FROM 6 PM HST TODAY THROUGH 6 PM HST MONDAY FOR
NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU AND KAUAI...AND NORTH FACING
SHORES OF OAHU MOLOKAI AND MAUI.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 PM HST TODAY THROUGH 6 PM HST MONDAY FOR
WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND THE BIG ISLAND.

&&

PUBLIC/MARINE...POWELL
AVIATION...BURKE

The radar

The Molokai radar (PHMO), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy rain, 5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Honolulu

When: January 27, 3:23 PM HST to 4:46 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 0.31 mi NNE of Makaha Valley to 0.95 mi SE of Nanakuli
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 21.484, -158.198

Flash Flood, Kauai

When: January 27, 3:52 PM HST to 5:30 PM HST
Where: Kauai County, 1.21 mi ESE of Poipu
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 21.875, -159.452

Kuai Road in Poipu became impassable for a time because of flooding.

Flash Flood, Honolulu

When: January 27, 8:00 PM HST to 9:54 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 1.01 mi ESE of Wheeler Afb to 0.88 mi WNW of Wheeler Afb
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 21.472, -158.017

Property flooding occurred along Waikalani Drive, Walea Street, and Leilehua Road in the vicinity of Wahiawa and Mililani.

Flash Flood, Honolulu

When: January 27, 8:00 PM HST to 9:54 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 0.93 mi W of Hauula to 1.38 mi W of Hauula
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 21.619, -157.914

Property flooding occurred along Pokiwai Place in Hauula and Puakenikeni Road in Kaaawa.

Flash Flood, Honolulu

When: January 27, 8:15 PM HST to 8:37 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 2.06 mi NE of Waianae to 2.48 mi SE of Maili
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 21.473, -158.159

Parts of Waianae Valley Road near Waianae and Paakea Road near Maili became flooded after heavy showers.

Heavy Rain, Maui

When: January 27, 9:46 PM HST to January 28, 1:35 AM HST
Where: Maui County, 1.36 mi NE of Kepuhi to 0.33 mi N of Pukoo
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 21.196, -157.238

Heavy Rain, Maui

When: January 28, 9:20 AM HST to 11:56 AM HST
Where: Maui County, 6.27 mi W of Shipwreck Beach to 1.43 mi ENE of Manele Harbor
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 20.910, -157.017

Heavy Rain, Honolulu

When: January 28, 10:14 AM HST to 12:59 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 1.22 mi SSE of Kahuku to 1.07 mi N of Maunawili
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 21.664, -157.942

Flash Flood, Maui

When: January 28, 10:57 AM HST to 12:03 PM HST
Where: Maui County, 0.81 mi NNW of Wailuku to 0.66 mi NNW of Wailuku
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 20.891, -156.503

Flood waters overwhelmed a drainage system and swamped a business along North Market Street in Wailuku.

Heavy Rain, Honolulu

When: January 28, 4:58 PM HST to 7:59 PM HST
Where: Honolulu County, 2 mi E of Kawela Bay to 0.87 mi S of Punaluu
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 21.702, -157.989

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Hawaii in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 2013

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: 425162, 425163, 425170, 425206, 425217, 425218, 425219, 425221, 425220, 425222.