A Hawaiian hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii lies in the central Pacific, where about four or five tropical cyclones appear each year, although as many as fifteen have occurred, such as in the 2015 season; rarely do these storms actually affect Hawaii. Tropical cyclone records were not kept before the 1950s. Earlier windstorms that struck Hawaii were not labeled as hurricanes. Extratropical cyclones are also common, causing considerable damage; they are known as Kona storms, but are not included in counts of hurricanes.
List of tropical cyclones
This list contains every tropical cyclone that had a somewhat notable effect on the State of Hawaii.
Pre–1950
September 1843: The earliest report of a tropical cyclone that could have affected Hawaii was made in 1843. On September 23, a German ship recorded a cyclone (known later as the "Cyclone of the Lark") near 17°N and 141°W. No further records are available, but extrapolation of its forward movement predicted that it would make landfall on the southern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. August 9, 1871: Indigenous newspapers record a major category 3 hurricane causing significant damage across the islands of Hawai'i and Maui. November 1874: In November, a possible tropical cyclone may have dropped over of rain on Honolulu, and southerly gales destroyed 23 homes and damaged at least 50. December 1902–03: A low-pressure system (known later as "The Froc Cyclone") that took a path similar to that of a tropical cyclone, passed through Kaulakahi Channel in late December 1902. No records of unusual weather were recorded, so the storm was likely still forming as it crossed Hawaii. October 1906: In October a tropical cyclone passed about south of South Point. Heavy rains were recorded; "the heaviest in years". A little over fell in 4½ hours. November 1906: south of Honolulu on November 3, 1906, a tropical cyclone was recognized. The storm supposedly tracked northward, passing through the Kauai channel. This cyclone must have been abnormally small or very weak, because climatological records show no unusual rainfall, wind, surge, or low pressure. The storm dissipated near British Columbia. August 1925: In August high seas and gusty winds were recorded in Hawaii from a nearby tropical cyclone. August 1938: Again in August a possible tropical cyclone produced heavy wind and rain in the state.
1950s
August 1950: Hurricane Hiki passed north of the islands, bringing gale winds. winds were recorded in Kauai. Additionally, at total of 52 inches (1321 mm) of rain fell over 4 days in Kauai. One person died from Hiki. July 1957: Hurricane Kanoa, after taking a long journey across the eastern Pacific, became a non-tropical circulation a few miles east of Hawaii. The remnants of Kanoa brought welcomed rain. November 1957: Hurricane Nina was a Category 1 hurricane that formed in November south of Hawaii. Nina moved north and took a sharp turn to the west without actually striking the state. Nina's closest approach to land, which was relatively far off the coast, was only about southwest of Kauai. Nina caused about $100,000 damage in Kauai and dropped over of rain in 14 hours. Nina set a record for the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu: . Nina killed four people throughout the islands. August 1958: On August 7, a tropical storm seemed to rapidly appear directly off the coast of Hilo. It moved across the islands, dropping considerable rainfall and causing about $500,000 of damage, before dissipating. August 1959: Hurricane Dot was another powerful August arrival. Dot entered the Central Pacific as a Category 4 hurricane just south of Hawaii. On August 5, Dot seemed to turn more northwest, aiming it directly at Kauai. On the 6th, Dot began weakening, and at its landfall in Kauai, Dot was only a Category 1 hurricane. Despite being greatly weakened, the hurricane brought gusts of over . In some areas of the island, palm trees snapped in half, suggesting winds were locally over . Damages from Dot cost no more than a few million dollars, and rainfall was relatively light; around . No Dot-related deaths were recorded.
1960s
September 1963: Tropical Storm Irah crossed the islands as a tropical depression, bringing winds, but caused little damage. August 1966: Hurricane Connie brought heavy rain to Big Island and Maui without making landfall.