Hawaii Storm History: Wind Days and Rare Hail
By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-07-20 · Updated 2026-10-07
Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.
Damage-threshold ranges in this article are general guidance synthesized from industry and federal research — IBHS building-performance research, NWS severe criteria, and product standards such as UL 2218 (hail impact resistance) and ASTM D3161/D7158 (shingle wind ratings). Actual performance depends on product rating, age, installation quality, exposure, and impact characteristics — thresholds describe when damage becomes possible, not when it occurs.
Hawaii logged 390 storm events in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026, mostly flood and wind. Measured gusts reached 88 mph near Kula on Maui on August 15, 2026, and the only hail report of 0.75 in. or larger was at Keaau on March 23.
Hawaii logged 390 storm events in StormAuditor's public-record tally for the 12 months ending October 7, 2026, across 4 of the state's 5 counties. Flood made up 214 of them and wind 172. Hail accounted for 3 events, and only one day, March 23, 2026, brought a hail report at StormAuditor's 0.75-inch screening size.
Wind is the story of Hawaii's storm year. In 2026 through early October, the state logged 20 wind days and 1 hail day (days with a storm report or station gust at StormAuditor's screening thresholds of 45 mph wind or 0.75-inch hail; warnings alone never count).
The strongest recent wind days
Measured gusts on Hawaii's recent storm days, from the Hawaii storm data page:
- August 15, 2026 — 88 mph measured, 5 SE Kula on Maui
- September 7, 2026 — 85 mph measured, 1 E Waimea on Kauai; the Lihue and Kekaha airport stations each logged 84 mph
- September 8, 2026 — 75 mph measured at the Lihue airport station on Kauai
- April 9, 2026 — 69 mph measured, 4 NW Schofield Barracks on Oahu
- August 16, 2026 — 67 mph measured at the Kaneohe MCAS station on Oahu
- September 22, 2026 — 60 mph measured
- September 27, 2026 — 59 mph measured at the Kahului airport station on Maui
Every one of those days topped 58 mph, the National Weather Service severe thunderstorm wind criterion. StormAuditor's wind counts include non-thunderstorm wind and NWS wind warnings, which is why they run far ahead of the NOAA thunderstorm wind record below.
The busiest days and counties
By event count, NWS warnings included, the busiest days were March 13, 2026 (45 events), September 7, 2026 (40), August 15, 2026 (39), August 16, 2026 (22) and March 14, 2026 (20). On March 13, a mesonet station 3 NW Schofield Barracks measured 78 mph, and a mesonet station 2 NW Kailua measured 70 mph (Honolulu storm day).
Honolulu County led with 120 events, followed by Maui with 99, Hawaii County with 74 and Kauai with 46.
Hail: rare, and mostly in March
The only hail report at 0.75 inch or larger in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026 came on March 23, 2026: 0.75 inch at 1 N Keaau in Hawaii County, an NWS Local Storm Report. That is penny size, below the NWS severe criterion of 1.00 inch.
The NOAA record shows how unusual larger hail is here.
From January 2010 through October 6, 2025, NCEI logged 20 storm days in Hawaii and 35 entries: 19 thunderstorm wind reports, 13 hail reports and 3 tornado entries. The largest hail was 4.25 inches, reported on March 9, 2012 in Honolulu County, and 2012 is the only year with hail of 2 inches or more. Hail of 1 inch or larger appears in 2 of the 15 full years from 2010 to 2024, most recently 1.25 inches in 2023.
March holds 77% of Hawaii's NCEI hail reports, and March and December together hold 92%. Thunderstorm wind reports peak in December. The state averaged 1.3 NOAA storm days a year from 2010 to 2024.
Event counts on this page come from StormAuditor's public-record tally: one event is one place on one day for each hazard type, and NWS warnings and Special Weather Statements count, so a busy warning day can outrank a day with bigger hail. The NOAA history figures come from the NCEI Storm Events Database, a separate, reviewed record with its own counting. The storm data page explains both.
Researching a date at a Hawaii address
- The Hawaii storm data page lists recent storm days, county totals and the NOAA history, with free CSV and JSON downloads.
- Address Lookup, free with an account, lists the NWS warnings, storm reports and NOAA station observations near any address for a date.
- The storm data hub compares every state's storm record.
Limitations
- Storm reports are points; a property sits somewhere between them, and remote areas file fewer reports.
- Station networks can miss narrow gusts between instruments, and summit and ridge stations read far higher than nearby towns.
- NCEI records arrive weeks to months after a storm, and public records can change after publication.
- None of this is a damage determination or a finding of cause. See Limitations.
Frequently asked questions
When was the last hail in Hawaii?
The last hail report at 0.75 inch or larger was 0.75 inch at 1 N Keaau in Hawaii County on March 23, 2026. In NOAA records, the last hail of 1 inch or larger was 1.25 inches in 2023.
What is the largest hail on record in Hawaii?
4.25 inches, reported on March 9, 2012 in Honolulu County, the largest in NOAA's NCEI Storm Events records for Hawaii since 2010.
How strong are Hawaii's wind gusts?
On recent storm days, measured gusts reached 88 mph near Kula on Maui on August 15, 2026 and 85 mph near Waimea on Kauai on September 7, 2026. Both are well above 58 mph, the NWS severe thunderstorm wind criterion.
Which Hawaii county has the most storm events?
Honolulu County, with 120 events in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026. Maui County followed with 99.
How do I check the storm history for my Hawaii address?
Use the free Address Lookup for the NWS warnings, storm reports and station observations near the address on a date, and the Hawaii storm data page for the statewide record.