Hawaiian Waters, 2013

Waterspout in Hawaiian Waters, March 20, 2013

March 20, 2013 · NWS HFO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A waterspout was spotted about 5 miles southeast of Honolulu. However, there were no reports of any significant injuries or property damage.

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

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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 waterspout was spotted about 5 miles southeast of Honolulu. However, there were no reports of any significant injuries or property damage.

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 20, 4:00 PM HST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 4:00 PM HST, 2 hours 15 minutes before
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The radar

The Molokai radar (PHMO), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Oahu Leeward Waters

When
March 20, 6:15 PM HST to 6:30 PM HST
Where
Oahu Leeward Waters forecast zone, 3 mi SW of Waikiki to 3.09 mi WSW of Waikiki
Reported by
Airplane Pilot
Coordinates
21.247, -157.861

What these are

Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Hawaiian Waters in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather history

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 434337.