Hawaii Hurricane Season

Q: When is hurricane season in Hawaii?

June 1 to November 30, the same dates as the Atlantic. NOAA's central Pacific outlook page states the season "runs June 1 to November 30." The Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, not the National Hurricane Center in Miami, issues forecasts and warnings for the region between 140W and the International Date Line.

Q: How often do hurricanes actually hit Hawaii?

Rarely, and near misses dominate the record. In NOAA's best-track file, 12 tropical cyclones have passed within 75 statute miles of the main islands since 1949, and only 5 of those were at hurricane strength at their closest recorded point. The standout is Iniki in 1992, which CPHC's seasonal report describes in its own words on this page.

Q: What was the worst hurricane to hit Hawaii?

Iniki, September 1992. CPHC's seasonal tropical cyclone report states: "INIKI was to be the costliest and most powerful hurricane to strike the Hawaiian Islands. The hurricane did close to $3 billion dollars worth of damage as its eye passed directly over the island of Kauai." Its best-track winds at the closest recorded point to the islands were 115 knots.

Q: Why does El Nino matter for Hawaii hurricane season?

NHC's central Pacific climatology states: "Moderate to strong El Nino years are correlated with increased tropical cyclone activity in the Central Pacific and the occurrence of late season storms." That is a shift in odds across a season, not a prediction of any storm, and it is the reasoning behind NOAA's above-normal 2026 central Pacific outlook quoted on this page.

Q: Is a hurricane coming to Hawaii right now?

The panel near the top of this page republishes the latest NHC public advisories and outlook, verbatim and timestamped. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center publishes every active storm, forecast, watch and warning for Hawaiian waters, and Hawaii Emergency Management issues evacuation and shelter decisions. During any active storm, those are the sources to act on.

Q: Why does the record only start in 1949, and how good is it?

The proximity table on this page is derived from NOAA's northeast and central Pacific HURDAT2 best-track file, which begins in 1949. NHC's own climatology adds a caveat: "Continuous satellite coverage has been available in the Central Pacific since 1971 so many climatologies start with that date." Earlier decades relied on ships and aircraft and are less complete.

Central Pacific season dates and every tropical cyclone NOAA has tracked near the islands, from the agency record.

Hurricane season is open right now: it runs June 1 to November 30. For anything live, use the National Hurricane Center, not this page.

Season

Jun 1 to Nov 30

Tracked near the islands

Peak month here

August

Is there a storm near Hawaii right now? Go to the National Hurricane Center.

The panel just below republishes the National Hurricane Center’s own latest advisories and outlook, verbatim and timestamped. Tracks, cones and forecasts are the National Hurricane Center’s. If a storm is active or approaching, NHC is the source of official forecasts and warnings, and your emergency management agency is the source of evacuation and shelter decisions.

National Hurricane Center for current storms, forecasts, watches, and warnings
Your state emergency management agency for evacuation orders and shelter information
Ready.gov hurricane preparedness for how to prepare, in FEMA’s own words

“It only takes one hurricane (or tropical storm) to cause a disaster.” NOAA Climate Prediction Center

What NHC is saying right now

Republished verbatim from the National Hurricane Center via the National Weather Service API, with NHC’s own issuance times. For anything that matters, read it at nhc.noaa.gov where it is always current.

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Hawaii hurricane season at a glance

Climatology and history, never a forecast

Today

The bar marks mid August to mid October. NHC: "The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is September 10, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October." The season itself runs June 1 to November 30.

tropical cyclones within 75 miles

since 1949, per HURDAT2

1992

the year of Iniki

the strongest in the record here

August

busiest month here

6 of 12 in the record

~6 yrs

average gap between events

an average, not a schedule

Hawaii sits alone in the central Pacific, a small target in a big ocean, monitored by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center rather than Miami. Direct hits are rare and near-misses are the usual story, but Iniki's 1992 passage over Kauai shows what a direct hit means here.

The dates

When is hurricane season in Hawaii?

The season dates are set by NOAA, they are the same for the whole central Pacific, and they are worth quoting rather than paraphrasing:

“NOAA's outlook for the 2026 hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, predicts a 70% chance of an above-normal season, a 20% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.”NOAA / NWS Honolulu (Central Pacific Hurricane Center), source

“Moderate to strong El Nino years are correlated with increased tropical cyclone activity in the Central Pacific and the occurrence of late season storms.”National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific climatology, source

Those are basin-wide dates. What they mean for Hawaii specifically is in the month histogram below: the calendar of storms that have actually arrived here, which is narrower than the season and different for every state.

The season dates are also not walls. CPHC notes that reliable central Pacific climatologies begin with continuous satellite coverage in 1971, and El Nino years are correlated with late season storms.

NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 season

NOAA Central Pacific Hurricane Center / NWS Honolulu, issued May 2026. Snapshot taken 2026-08-27; always current at the source.

“Forecasters with NOAA's National Weather Service are predicting an above-normal hurricane season for the central Pacific basin this year.”

5 to 13 tropical cyclones in the central Pacific

“NOAA's outlook is for overall seasonal activity based on large-scale weather and climate patterns. It does not indicate where or when any storms may affect land, as that is determined by short-term and variable weather patterns, and is not a landfall forecast.” NOAA Central Pacific Hurricane Center / NWS Honolulu

Satellite image of Hurricane Iniki, a compact hurricane with a clear eye, approaching the Hawaiian Islands over open Pacific water — Hurricane Iniki from NOAA's GOES satellite on September 11, 1992, hours before its eye crossed Kauai. CPHC's seasonal report called it the costliest and most powerful hurricane to strike the Hawaiian Islands. “Iniki 1992-09-11 1931Z” — NOAA (GOES-7), NASA — Public domain

The calendar

Which months hurricanes actually come close in Hawaii

This histogram counts tropical cyclones passing within 75 statute miles of the main Hawaiian Islands since 1949, derived from NOAA's HURDAT2 best-track file. The 75-mile radius mirrors the chart CPHC itself publishes. Distances are measured at NOAA's recorded track points, so a fast moving storm's true closest approach can be nearer than the points show.

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Tropical cyclones at tropical storm strength or greater passing within 75 statute miles of the main Hawaiian Islands, by month, 1949 to 2025. Derived from NOAA HURDAT2 (northeast and north central Pacific file).

August accounts for 6 of the 12 events in the record here.

Satellite image of Hurricane Nicole, a broad late season hurricane over the western Atlantic, approaching the Florida east coast at night — Hurricane Nicole from NOAA’s VIIRS satellite on November 10, 2022, two days before the end of climatology charts would suggest the Atlantic quiets down. November strikes are rare and real: the month pages count every one. “Hurricane Nicole at 0657 UTC November 10, 2022” — NOAA-20 VIIRS via CIMSS — Public domain

The record

Every tropical cyclone NOAA has tracked near Hawaii

The table lists every system at tropical storm strength or greater that passed within 75 statute miles of the main islands in NOAA’s best track record, 1949 to 2025. The standout is Iniki, and the agency’s own words carry it:

“INIKI was to be the costliest and most powerful hurricane to strike the Hawaiian Islands. The hurricane did close to $3 billion dollars worth of damage as its eye passed directly over the island of Kauai and was one of the costliest storms in the history of the United States.”Central Pacific Hurricane Center, 1992 seasonal tropical cyclone report, source

Year	Month	Name	Closest recorded point	Strength at that point	Winds
2024	August	Hone	49 miles	Hurricane	75 kt
2020	July	Douglas	36 miles	Hurricane	75 kt
2018	September	Olivia	22 miles	Tropical storm	40 kt
2016	July	Darby	33 miles	Tropical storm	35 kt
2014	August	Iselle	27 miles	Tropical storm	50 kt
1992	September	Iniki	34 miles	Hurricane	115 kt
1989	July	Dalilia	61 miles	Tropical storm	55 kt
1983	August	Gil	35 miles	Tropical storm	40 kt
1972	August	Diana	61 miles	Tropical storm	60 kt
1959	August	Dot	6 miles	Hurricane	75 kt
1958	August	Unnamed	24 miles	Tropical storm	45 kt
1957	July	Kanoa	54 miles	Hurricane	75 kt

How complete is this record?

“Continuous satellite coverage has been available in the Central Pacific since 1971 so many climatologies start with that date.”National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific climatology, source

Navy volunteers hammering new roofing onto a building in Waimea, Kauai damaged by Hurricane Iniki — Joint Task Force Garden Isle volunteers repairing a Waimea, Kauai building after Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Department of Defense photograph. “Navy volunteers repair a building in Waimea, Kauai, damaged when Hurricane Iniki struck the region” — Department of Defense, Defense Visual Information Center — Public domain

Reading the table

What the categories mean

NHC’s definitions, in its own words: a tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph, a hurricane 74 mph or higher, and a major hurricane 111 mph or higher, corresponding to Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Category measures wind only: water, historically the deadlier hazard, is not in the number, which is one more reason a history page must never stand in for the National Hurricane Center during a real storm.

The eye of Hurricane Katrina photographed from a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft, a towering circular wall of cloud around clear air — The eye of Hurricane Katrina from a NOAA WP-3D hurricane hunter aircraft, August 28, 2005. NOAA aircraft fly into every major storm; the best-track data behind this page is partly theirs. “Hurricane Katrina Eye viewed from Hurricane Hunter” — NOAA — Public domain

Common questions

Hawaii hurricane season FAQ

When is hurricane season in Hawaii?

How often do hurricanes actually hit Hawaii?

What was the worst hurricane to hit Hawaii?

Why does El Nino matter for Hawaii hurricane season?

Is a hurricane coming to Hawaii right now?

Why does the record only start in 1949, and how good is it?

Keep planning

More for the Hawaii coast

Hawaii beach conditionsLive rip current and surf risk from the National Weather Service, reproduced as issued.Hawaii mosquito forecastThe weeks after a tropical system are peak mosquito weeks. Timing and risk by state.Hurricane season nationwideSeason dates, the September 10 peak, and strike history for every coastal state.

Hurricane season by state

Hurricane season by month

Strike counts and categories are reproduced from NOAA AOML’s continental US hurricane landfall list (Revised in March 2026 to add in the 2025 season) and NOAA HURDAT2. Season dates and peak are NHC’s, quoted. These are historical records and season climatology. For a live forecast or watch: nhc.noaa.gov.
Hero image: “Katrina 2005-08-28 2245Z” — U.S. Navy / Naval Research Laboratory — Public domain