Hawaii Hurricanes

Traditionally, the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico make for ideal hurricane conditions.  Hawaii is a tropical island grouping amid warm waters and, while not as warm as the previous bodies of water mentioned, doesn’t have a cool water barrier, like the state of California which staves off the devastation of hurricanes.  So, one of the first things to note when looking at what makes the hurricanes of Hawaii different than other is that the waters are not as warm so the frequency and strength of those storms in or around Hawaii is less than elsewhere.

Second to take into consideration is the mountainous nature of Hawaii’s islands.  Mountains enhance rainfall.  Rain waters rushing down mountain slopes can cause dangerous flash flooding and mudslides.  When a storm squeezes through the valleys of Hawaii’s mountains, it can speed up the hurricane, increasing the storm’s intensity.

Hawaii has thus far been quite lucky in avoiding major damage from hurricanes.  While we cannot predict the future of hurricanes, we can only go on what we already know has come to pass.  Hurricanes in Hawaii are relatively rare, but their possible destructive force on the islands of Hawaii is not to be underestimated.  Tropical storms can form to the south and east of the islands relatively quickly and come close and even onto the islands, sometimes breaching the barrier that separates tropical storm from hurricane.  This is something to keep in mind whether visiting, moving to, or living in Hawaii.