As a front moved through the isles, high pressure in its wake brought blustery winds that resulted in power outages in many areas, downed trees and power lines, and roof damage to many residences. There also was heavy rainfall in some locales, the most significant was flash flooding on the Big Island that claimed a woman's life as she tried to cross fast-moving water in the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
As a front moved through the isles, high pressure in its wake brought blustery winds that resulted in power outages in many areas, downed trees and power lines, and roof damage to many residences. There also was heavy rainfall in some locales, the most significant was flash flooding on the Big Island that claimed a woman's life as she tried to cross fast-moving water in the area. No other deaths or serious injuries were reported. The 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 Jan 21, 9:58 AM HST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Honolulu HI 958 AM HST Sat Jan 21 2017 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will move across the state today then stall near the Big Island tonight through early next week. Very strong and potentially damaging northeast trade winds are expected along and behind the front this weekend, with winds easing early next week. && .DISCUSSION... A cold front near Oahu and Molokai this morning will move southeast down the island chain and stall near the Big Island tonight. This front will be followed by a strong high pressure system pushing in behind from the northwest. The tight pressure gradient between the front and the high will result in strong, gusty, and potentially locally damaging northeast trade winds. Post-frontal winds are already increasing across Kauai, where Lihue reported sustained winds of 27 kt gusting to 36 kt between 7 am and 9 am HST, and across western portions of Oahu, where a 44 kt gust was reported at Waianae harbor. A High Wind Warning is in effect for the entire state (except for Big Island summits and Haleakala summit) from noon today through tonight. There is the possibility for a Wind Advisory or an extension of the High Wind Warning for all or portions of the state into Sunday. Models show winds around and just below the inversion increasing to 40 to 45 kt when winds peak this evening. This scenario often creates periods of strong, gusty, and locally damaging winds over and downwind of terrain when the inversion is based near or just above the mountains. Expect modest showers with the front to be focused along northern and windward slopes, but many of these showers will track over to leeward sides of the islands due to the strong winds. On Sunday, most of the rainfall will be focused over the windward side of the Big Island, with drier and more stable air from the surface high moving onto the western portions of the state. Winds will decrease and veer out of the east to east-southeast on Monday and Tuesday as the high to the north is pushed off to the east. Models hint that some of the dissipated frontal moisture will drift back up over windward portions of the state during this period. Otherwise, trade winds and a typical pattern of windward showers should prevail through much of the work week. && .AVIATION... Showers associated with the frontal system have spread across the smaller islands this morning. In the last hour or so, clouds have thickened over Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. A mountain obscuration AIRMET may be needed, and if so will be issued. Most terminals will continue to see VFR conditions, but some MVFR and brief, isolated pockets of IFR are possible. Strong and gusty winds are seen over the smaller islands this morning, and we are expecting the winds to reach the Big Island in a few hours. Several PIREPs have reported moderate turbulence over/near the smaller islands already this morning. AIRMET Tango continues for low level turbulence over the smaller islands, and expect that to expand to the Big Island this afternoon. AIRMET Tango also includes an area of upper level turbulence over the islands, and strong surface winds. && .MARINE... Lingering swell will produce advisory-level surf along west facing shores of the Big Island today. Incoming short-period north swell combined with building wind waves will push surf above advisory levels on east facing shores of all islands. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect for those areas from this afternoon through Sunday afternoon. This advisory will probably need to be extended later. A Small Craft Advisory for all waters this morning will ramp up to a Gale Warning this afternoon and tonight as northeast winds continue to increase. The Gale Warning will continue through Sunday afternoon for the typically windy areas around Maui County and the Big Island. Advisory-level winds will very likely continue across all other waters where gales are not present on Sunday. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from noon today to 6 AM HST Sunday for Niihau- Kauai-Oahu-Molokai-Lanai-Kahoolawe-Maui Windward West-Maui Leeward West-Maui Central Valley-Windward Haleakala-Leeward Haleakala-Kona-South Big Island-Big Island North and East-Kohala- Big Island Interior. High Surf Advisory from noon today to 6 PM HST Sunday for Niihau- Kauai Windward-Oahu Koolau-Olomana-Molokai Windward-Lanai Makai- Maui Windward West-Windward Haleakala-Big Island North and East. High Surf Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Kona-Kohala. Small Craft Advisory until noon HST today for all Hawaiian waters- Gale Warning from noon today to 6 PM HST Sunday for Maalaea Bay- Pailolo Channel-Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters. Gale Warning from noon today to 6 AM HST Sunday for Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters-Kauai Leeward Waters- Kauai Channel-Oahu Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Maui County Windward Waters-Maui County Leeward Waters- Big Island Windward Waters. && DISCUSSION/MARINE...Powell AVIATION...M Ballard
The Molokai radar (PHMO), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:39 UTC.
6 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Waianae Valley RAWS recorded a 67-mph wind gust.
Kuaokala RAWS recorded a 73-mph wind gust.
Kohala Ranch RAWS recorded an 84-mph wind gust.
Lanai Airport AWOS recorded a 66-mph wind gust.
A wind gust of 59 mph was measured in Lahaina, Maui.
A woman attempted to cross fast-moving water that was knee-deep in a private driveway off Kahana Drive in Ahumoa near Honokaa on the Big Island of Hawaii. She was swept away and was found dead the next morning, Jan. 22.
The RAWS site in Kawaihae in leeward Big Island recorded a wind gust of 62 mph.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Hawaii | 2017-01-21 | 47 | Female | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Hawaii in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 2017
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: 670193, 670194, 670195, 670196, 670197, 670198, 670199.