American Samoa, 2023

Lightning Strike in American Samoa, February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023 · NWS ASO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong through moved through the region on the evening of February 20th over Tutuila. WSO Pago Pago observed cloud to ground lightning at times between 9 PM and 11 PM.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$20,000
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 ASO wrote it up.

A strong through moved through the region on the evening of February 20th over Tutuila. WSO Pago Pago observed cloud to ground lightning at times between 9 PM and 11 PM.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Tutuila

When
February 20, 9:00 PM SST to 11:00 PM SST
Where
Tutuila County, 4.72 mi NNW of Vaitogi
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Airplane Pilot
Coordinates
-14.334, -170.717

After the Hawaiian Airlines flight landed at the Pago Pago International Airport from Honolulu, Hawaii, passengers remained onboard for two hours before being able to deplane. Due to heavy rainfall and lightning in the area, the captain decided to keep the passengers onboard due to safety reasons. The outbound flight was delayed through late in the afternoon on the 21st.

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in American Samoa in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in American Samoa, February 2023

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: 1078828.