While much of the state received above average rainfall in January, extreme drought conditions remained in some areas due to the low rainfall from the previous months. The portions included southwest Kauai, west Molokai, southwest Maui, and west and upslope Big Island.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
While much of the state received above average rainfall in January, extreme drought conditions remained in some areas due to the low rainfall from the previous months. The portions included southwest Kauai, west Molokai, southwest Maui, and west and upslope Big Island.
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 Dec 31, 8:58 PM HST, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Honolulu HI 858 PM HST Tue Dec 31 2024 .SYNOPSIS... A high pressure system building in north of the Hawaiian Islands will keep moderate to locally breezy trade winds in the forecast through Thursday. Thankfully the winds will be strong enough to blow out all that New Year fireworks smoke by morning. The high pressure system will drift east away from the state late Thursday causing the trade wind speeds will weaken and veer from the southeast direction from Friday into early next week. This pattern shift will bring us back to a sea breeze pattern with limited showers and possibly a return to VOG (Volcanic fOG or smOG) for all islands west of the Big Island. No significant rainfall expected for the next seven days. && .DISCUSSION... The satellite picture this evening shows a low to mid level disturbance moving westward across the island chain. This system will enhance trade wind showers into New Years Day, mainly over windward and mountain areas, favoring the overnight to early morning hours. Farther northwest of Kauai a weakening cold front approaches the Hawaii region, this next system will likely diminish before reaching the state with limited weather impacts. Looking into the winds, we see a high pressure system building eastward into the Central Pacific basin over the next two days. This high will keep moderate to breezy trade winds in the forecast through Thursday. Trade winds will then weaken from Thursday night into Friday as the high center moves into the East Pacific basin; farther away from the islands. By Friday, wind directions will veer out of the southeast direction and weaken into early next week. These lighter large scale southeasterly winds will allow sea breezes to expand across all islands. The high pressure ridge aloft will produce a stable environment over the island chain, keeping clouds and shower activity to a minimum. Southeasterly wind flow will transport VOG or sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the Kilauea Volcano northward, likely affecting all Hawaiian Islands from Friday into early next week. This VOG plume will mainly affect people with breathing conditions, similar to smog in a big city. Peering into the extended range forecast, a weak cold front will approach the islands from Tuesday to Wednesday. Southerly wind flow during this time period, ahead of the approaching front may produce brief periods of pop up showers, favoring southern mountain slopes. The latest model consensus shows this shallow front moving into the western islands from late Tuesday night to Wednesday of next week. Stay tuned. && .AVIATION... Expect continued moderate to locally breezy trade winds into Thursday. Showers will fall mainly over windward and mountain areas, favoring the overnight to to early morning. Brief MVFR conditions may occur within showers, but otherwise VFR conditions will prevail, especially at the TAF sites. AIRMET Tango remains in effect for moderate turbulence below 090 south through west of high terrain on Maui and the Big Island. This AIRMET will likely be needed for the next few days, and may need to be expanded to cover islands farther to the west Wednesday. && .MARINE... A ridge north of the main Hawaiian islands will maintain moderate to locally breezy trade winds into Thursday. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect through Wednesday for the typical windier waters around Maui County and the Big Island, but could be extended into Thursday. The ridge will erode from the west as a front approaches, which will cause the winds near the islands to weaken and veer to the southeast and then south Thursday night and Friday. Winds are expected to remain southerly through the weekend as a series of fronts approach from the northwest, but dissipate and/or lift north before reaching the islands. A stronger front approaching from the northwest Monday night is currently expected to move down the island chain. Two significant northwest swells are expected in the coming days. The first large swell is expected to arrive late tomorrow afternoon or evening and persist through Thursday. The second even larger northwest swell is expected on Saturday and should linger through Saturday. A High Surf Advisory (HSA) has been issued for north and west facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu which starting at noon tomorrow. This first swell hasn't arrived at the offshore buoys to the northwest of the islands yet, but guidance has been consistent in timing --meaning a quick rise in surf heights beginning later today. The current HSA may need to be expanded to include north facing shores of Maui and possibly west facing shores of the Big Island if buoy observations come in higher than model guidance. The second, larger, northwest swell is expected to build in rapidly Friday night and crest above warning levels on Saturday and Sunday. The swell is expected to exit almost as quickly, but advisory level will likely linger into Monday night. Surf along south and east facing shores east facing shores is expected to remain small. Conditions will likely be choppy through Friday along east shores due to the breezy trade wind flow. && .FIRE WEATHER... No critical fire weather conditions are expected for the next seven days. Trade winds will remain at moderate to locally breezy speeds with relative humidities staying above critical levels through the week. Trades should ease to become light to moderate this weekend through early next week. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Surf Advisory from noon Wednesday to 5 PM HST Thursday for north and west facing shores of Niihau, Kauai and Oahu. Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Wednesday for windier waters and channels near Maui and the Big Island. && DISCUSSION...Bohlin AVIATION...Bohlin MARINE...Bedal FIRE WEATHER...Bohlin
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The USDA on Kauai reported that a producer operating in the southeast side of the island may need to reduce his herd size due to lack of feed. Ranchers have been continuing to provide supplemental feed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Hawaii in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 2025
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: 1229778.