Below average rainfall allowed drought conditions to persist across mainly southern and western areas of Maui. The Department of Land and Natural Resources reported Maui stream levels were the lowest seen in over a century.
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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.
Below average rainfall allowed drought conditions to persist across mainly southern and western areas of Maui. The Department of Land and Natural Resources reported Maui stream levels were the lowest seen in over a century. In particular, the W. Wailuaiki Stream was the lowest in early October in 106-year history.
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 Aug 31, 3:01 PM HST, 8 hours 59 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Honolulu HI 301 PM HST Sun Aug 31 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Beneath a persistent blanket of high clouds, moderate trades deliver limited low clouds and showers to windward and mauka areas for the remainder of the week. && .DISCUSSION... Afternoon water vapor imagery clearly shows a closed upper low parked NW Kauai drawing north a plume of moisture from the deep tropics. In response, deep layer SW flow extends down to around 700mb and PWATs have spiked to about 1.7" per this afternoon's sounding out of Lihue. Saturation with respect to ice in the 20- 25kft layer is indicative of the partially transparent band of high clouds that will be a fixture over the islands through most of the coming week. A weakened trade wind inversion around 8kft is observed which matches well with radar-indicated shower tops penetrating to 10kft or so. Interior showers developed over the islands this afternoon in response to daytime heating with the resident envelope of low-level moisture, but they have largely been disorganized. This is likely a consequence of high clouds short-circuting the sea breeze which only briefly manifested over Oahu where winds have already backed to the ENE at HNL. The lack of organized surface convergence has therefore translated into a lack of shower organization. Interior areas will clear this evening giving way to clear skies in the lower levels and high clouds aloft with light to moderate trades delivering pockets of showers windward and mauka through the night. The latest modeling suggests today will represent the minimum in winds for the week, though not by much, as the trade wind belt rebounds slightly northward and the upper low NW of Kauai gradually lifts north away from the islands. Moderate, stable trades are forecast to prevail through the end of the forecast period. Rainfall remains limited as drier air returns early this week and dewpoints fall to typical values in the upper 60s. && .AVIATION... Light to moderate trade winds will allow local sea breezes to continue in sheltered leeward locations through this evening, with clouds and showers over some leeward and interior areas. Tropical moisture moving across the islands combined with some weak instability aloft may bring some enhanced showers through tonight, with periods of MVFR possible. Otherwise, VFR should prevail. No AIRMETs are currently in effect, but AIRMET Sierra may be needed over portions of the islands if showers become more widespread. && .MARINE... A ridge of high pressure north of the state will remain displaced to the south in response to large low far to the north. This will maintain moderate trades through most of the forecast period, with some localized sea breezes, especially across leeward waters. Surf along south facing shores will continue to decline through Monday as the swell fades, returning to background levels for most of the coming week. Surf along north facing shores will see a boost on Monday due to a small, short- to medium-period swell. This swell will quickly be overshadowed by longer period energy out of the northwest starting Monday night and peaking on Tuesday. Surf will increase again from the influence of this swell, but remain below advisory levels. A reinforcing pulse out of the north should arrive around the same time the northwest swell arrives. A mix of north and northwest swells are expected to continue through Thursday. Below average surf is expected to continue along east facing shores persisting through early next week. Peak monthly high tides, combined with water levels running higher than predicted, may lead to minor flooding along the shoreline and in low-lying coastal areas toward the end of next week. Coastal flooding may be possible around the daily afternoon peak tide. && .FIRE WEATHER... Moderate trades prevail for the remainder of week delivering limited showers windward and mauka. Modest drying commences during Monday as the resident area of low-level moisture exits to the west and dewpoints return to typical values in the upper 60s. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...JVC AVIATION...Ahue MARINE...TS FIRE WEATHER...JVC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
West Maui reportedly had a stage two water shortage beginning September 4 and lasted through the month.
A stage 1 water shortage was in place for South and Central Maui since September 2024 due to lack of surface water flow.
A stage 1 water shortage was in place for South and Central Maui since September 2024 due to lack of surface water flow.
West Maui reportedly had a stage two water shortage beginning September 4 and lasted through the month.
Upcountry Maui upgraded to a Stage 2 water shortage on September 11, 2025 (Stage 1|declared 4/2025).
The PGA cancelled the Sentry golf tournament in Kapalua, Maui, due to the drought causing the Kapalua Resort’s Plantation course condition to be significantly compromised.
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, September 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: 1293584, 1293585, 1293586, 1293587, 1293588, 1293593.