Storm Records: American Samoa
Every storm the National Weather Service has filed in American Samoa: its floods, heat, cold, winter storms, hail, wind, lightning and tornadoes, year by year and county by county, each episode with its narrative.
The worst in American Samoa on the map
The deadliest and costliest episodes on record here, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 634
- Deaths
- 57
- Injuries
- 190
- Damage
- $294 million
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.
Every year
Tap a year for every episode in it.
Deaths each year
By kind of event
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Rain | 126 | 0 | 0 | $2.0 million |
| Flash Flood | 125 | 5 | 9 | $71 million |
| High Surf | 113 | 10 | 8 | $5.4 million |
| Flood | 51 | 0 | 0 | $322,000 |
| High Wind | 47 | 0 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| Rip Current | 40 | 9 | 3 | $30,000 |
| Strong Wind | 36 | 0 | 0 | $7.6 million |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 18 | 0 | 20 | $60 million |
| Drought | 17 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| Tsunami | 17 | 32 | 148 | $81 million |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 11 | 0 | 0 | $577,000 |
| Tropical Storm | 9 | 0 | 0 | $62 million |
| Lightning | 8 | 1 | 2 | $241,000 |
| Coastal Flood | 4 | 0 | 0 | $2.0 million |
| Debris Flow | 3 | 0 | 0 | $75,000 |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Funnel Cloud | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seiche | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Excessive Heat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The deadliest
- Tsunami in American Samoa, September 29, 2009A tsunami wave affected all of American Samoa including neighboring Samoan Islands.|The tsunami was generated by a 7.9 earthquake that occurred about 120 miles southwest of Pago Pago. The wave went inland as far as 1 mile.
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, May 19, 2003A flash flood occurred across Tutuila from Nuuuli Uta to Pago Pago many communities near mountains and valleys. The main stream in Pago Pago rapidly overflow and flooded many homes and businesses along the stream and all of lower Pago Pago.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, February 17 to 18, 2007After 10:00 am Sunday 18 February 2007, 2 bodies were found and 1 lost at sea along the mouth of Aoa village harbor which lies to the north to northeast of Tutuila Island of American Samoa.
- High Surf in American Samoa, June 15, 2020A strong high pressure system to the south of the islands delivered fresh to strong trades over the territory. This episode enhanced steep seas of 12 to 15 feet.
- High Surf in American Samoa, August 17, 2019A strong storm near New Zealand produced swell periods of 14 to 16 seconds, which generated high surfs around 14 ft.
- High Surf in American Samoa, December 24 to 25, 2019Wind generated waves associated with an active trough and thunderstorms in the vicinity, have caused seas to reach 10 to 14 feet throughout this period. Two fatalities in the north west and north east shores were reported within a few days apart; both were veteran fishermen.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, September 28, 2020Though no advisories or swells were in the area, strong rip currents took the lives of two fishermen in the village of Amouli.
- Flash Flooding in American Samoa, July 26, 2025An extreme rainfall event occurred over American Samoa from July 23rd to 27th, as a trough over the islands converged with a strong ridge from the south.
- Lightning Strike in American Samoa, April 4, 2006Two teenagers, a 15 year-old girl and a 14 year-old boy, were at home lowering blinds of their guest house when they were both striked by lightning.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, June 1 to 10, 2011On a late Saturday afternoon 4th of June, an incident occurred at the village of Amouli. Two young teenage girls were swimming close to the beach and were dragged out to the deep sea due to strong rip currents.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, December 28, 2015The Talanei News reported a drowning incident of a 31 year old male near the village of Faleasao during the afternoon time. Hazardous seas and surfs were results of an active monsoonal trough that moved near the east of Manu'a.
- High Surf in American Samoa, December 20, 2020An active surface trough and a building ridge produced strong winds that influenced hazardous rip currents and high surf conditions for the Islands, December 17th to the 20th.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, September 11, 2021Large southerly swells influenced dangerous surfs and hazardous rip currents that caused a fatality in the village of Sogi, Leone.
- High Surf in American Samoa, October 28, 2021Pressure gradients between a high pressure system to the south and trough to the north produced rough seas and surfs for the territory.
- Rip Current in American Samoa, April 2, 2024A strong high pressure system centered well to the south of American Samoa created stronger than usual east/southeasterly trades winds throughout the American Samoa islands and along the territory's coastal waters.
- High Surf in American Samoa, August 12, 2025A strong southerly swell generated by a powerful storm to the south moved through the coastal waters of American Samoa on August 12. Surf heights along the southern shores were projected to reach up to 11 feet.
- High Surf in American Samoa, August 6, 2025In early August, a storm far south of American Samoa generated long-period swell that reached the territory's southern shores on August 5th and 6th. The PacIOOS buoy located east of Aunu'u measured sea heights over 11 feet and peak wave periods exceeding 16 seconds.
- Tropical Storm in American Samoa, February 9, 2018Tropical Cyclone Gita combined with an active monsoon trough generated destructive winds and torrential rainfall between the hours of 4 AM to 2 PM. At the peak of the tropical storm before 8 AM, the Weather Service Office and most of American Samoa loss power.
- Hurricane in American Samoa, January 4 to 5, 2004Tropical Cyclone Heta was at its closest to American Samoa within 150 miles west-southwest of Tutuila on January 4th. Maximum winds recorded was 65 knots at 1242Z on January 5th over the Island of Tutuila.
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, November 27 to 29, 2015Tropical Cyclone Tuni produced heavy rainfall across American Samoa. During a 48 hour period, over 7.80 inches of rainfall were recorded at the Weather Service Office in Tafuna.
- Hurricane and High Surf in American Samoa, February 14 to 18, 2005Hurricane Olaf, a Category 5, had sustained maximum winds of "160 mph and gusts to 190 mph. Waves up to 40 feet high hit some islands." Olaf made landfall over Manu'a Islands, causing severe damages to homes, crops, and highways on February 16th.
- Tropical Storm in American Samoa, November 27 to 29, 2015Tropical Cyclone Tuni uprooted trees, damaged plantations, and blew a couple of roofs of shacks and garages across American Samoa.
- Strong Wind in American Samoa, July 2 to 3, 2013An active cold front near American Samoa combined with a strong high pressure to the south of Tutuila and Manua have generated strong gusty winds up to 45 mph.
- High Surf in American Samoa, May 17 to 26, 2003This high surf/heavy surf event which lasted for over a week created many problems not only for the swimmers and fishermen but for the general public as well, especially on the 19th during theflash flood event on the 19th.
- Strong Wind in American Samoa, February 5 to 6, 2012A strong monsoonal trough near the Samoan Islands was associated with strong winds and heavy rainfall. This monsoon trough triggered gusty northwest winds, and the Weather Service Office recorded a peak gust of 51 mph on the morning of February 6th.
The costliest
- Tsunami in American Samoa, September 29, 2009
- Tropical Storm in American Samoa, February 9, 2018
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, May 19, 2003
- Hurricane in American Samoa, January 4 to 5, 2004
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, November 27 to 29, 2015
- Hurricane and High Surf in American Samoa, February 14 to 18, 2005
- Tropical Storm in American Samoa, November 27 to 29, 2015
- Strong Wind in American Samoa, July 2 to 3, 2013
- High Surf in American Samoa, May 17 to 26, 2003
- Strong Wind in American Samoa, February 5 to 6, 2012
- Flash Flooding and Flood in American Samoa, January 5 to 10, 2025
- Coastal Flood in American Samoa, July 13 to 14, 2022
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in American Samoa, February 17 to 22, 2025
- High Surf and Strong Wind in American Samoa, July 3 to 7, 2021
- Flash Flood and Coastal Flood in American Samoa, May 7 to 10, 2025
- Flash Flooding in American Samoa, March 24, 2025
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, December 7 to 8, 2007
- Flash Flood in American Samoa, February 27, 2000
- Flash Flooding in American Samoa, July 26, 2025
- Damaging Winds and Heavy Rain in American Samoa, February 3, 2024
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in American Samoa, May 18, 2026
- Heavy Rain in American Samoa, May 10 to 11, 2017
- Heavy Rain in American Samoa, February 21, 2024
- Flash Flood and Flood in American Samoa, May 17, 2023
- High Surf in American Samoa, December 3 to 7, 2001
Counties and zones as filed
The places filed most often, as the offices named them.
| County or zone | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tutuila | 316 | 6 | 12 | $74 million |
| Tutuila zone | 200 | 50 | 176 | $208 million |
| Manu'A zone | 48 | 1 | 2 | $12 million |
| Manu'A | 29 | 0 | 0 | $605,000 |
| Swains zone | 19 | 0 | 0 | $62,000 |
| Rose zone | 12 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rose | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Swains | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Manu`a zone | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Every year
More
Every tornado in American SamoaEvery warning in American Samoa since 1986River gauges in American SamoaEvery state
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.