Hawaiian Waters, 2018

Waterspouts in Hawaiian Waters, February 5, 2018

February 5, 2018 · NWS HFO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Members of the public reported waterspouts off Oahu and Maui. There were no reports of significant property damage or 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Members of the public reported waterspouts off Oahu and Maui. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries.

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 Feb 5, 9:35 AM HST, 4 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 5, 9:35 AM HST, 4 hours 58 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 5, 1:41 PM HST, 52 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 5, 2:07 PM HST, 26 minutes before
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The radar

The Molokai radar (PHMO), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:34 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Oahu Leeward Waters

When
February 5, 2:33 PM HST
Where
Oahu Leeward Waters forecast zone, 3.31 mi SW of Pearl Harbor Entr to 3.56 mi SW of Pearl Harbor Entr
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
21.300, -158.010

The waterspout was spotted south of Ewa Beach on Oahu.

Waterspout, Maalaea Bay

When
February 5, 3:05 PM HST
Where
Maalaea Bay forecast zone, 2.56 mi SSE of Maalaea to 3.19 mi SE of Maalaea
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
20.768, -156.500

Two waterspouts were spotted west of Kihei on Maui in Maalaea Bay.

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 2018Every state in 2018This 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: 732870, 732871.