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On This Day: Hurricane Iniki Hits Hawaii
September 9, 2020 at 01:08 PM EDT
By WeatherBug's Chris Sayles
It has been nearly 30 years since the Rainbow State was impacted by Hurricane Iniki. This was the most powerful and devastating hurricane to impact Hawaii in the state’s history.
To this day, there is still debate on whether Iniki originated from a tropical wave that swept over the Atlantic on August 18, 1992. In any case, banded showers and thunderstorms became organized on August 28 after sweeping across Central America. From there, the tropical wave would form into a depression by early September as it moved into a favorable environment of the east-central Pacific.
However, this new depression looked to be disorganized as it moved over the open waters of the Pacific, but that was only for a moment.
By September 8, the depression would finally form into tropical storm and given the name “Iniki” which is Hawaiian for “strong and piercing wind.” From that point on, Iniki would prove that it was more than just a name as the storm would intensify again on September 9, this time into a hurricane.
Typically, Hawaii is shielded from strong tropical systems thanks to a feature known as a subtropical ridge. This normally steers tropical storms away from the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly, this ridge weakened as the hurricane progressed westward, and favorable conditions allowed Iniki to gain major hurricane status on September 10, south-southwest of the Aloha State
This was the worst-case scenario for Hawaii as Hurricane Iniki, now a major hurricane, targeted the southwest shore of the chain’s western islands. With sustained winds peaking at about 145 mph with gusts up to 175 mph, Hurricane Iniki made landfall over Kauai and approached Oahu as a Category 4 hurricane on September 11, 1992. This led to catastrophic damages in excess of $3 billion, making this the costliest hurricane to impact Hawaii in history. In fact, this storm is the second costliest hurricane to form in the eastern and central Pacific hurricane basin. Nearly 20 feet of high water swept onto the coastlines of Kauai, with some pushing over 800 feet inland.
Over a thousand homes were destroyed amid Iniki’s rampage over Kauai and Oahu, and 6 people lost their lives. Kauai was the hardest hit of the Hawaiian Islands. The name “Iniki” was retired from the Pacific naming list due to the devastation caused by the storm.
Sources: NHC, NOAA
Story Image: Hurricane Iniki as it made landfall over Kauai on September 11, 1992. (NOAA)
To this day, there is still debate on whether Iniki originated from a tropical wave that swept over the Atlantic on August 18, 1992. In any case, banded showers and thunderstorms became organized on August 28 after sweeping across Central America. From there, the tropical wave would form into a depression by early September as it moved into a favorable environment of the east-central Pacific.
However, this new depression looked to be disorganized as it moved over the open waters of the Pacific, but that was only for a moment.
By September 8, the depression would finally form into tropical storm and given the name “Iniki” which is Hawaiian for “strong and piercing wind.” From that point on, Iniki would prove that it was more than just a name as the storm would intensify again on September 9, this time into a hurricane.
Typically, Hawaii is shielded from strong tropical systems thanks to a feature known as a subtropical ridge. This normally steers tropical storms away from the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly, this ridge weakened as the hurricane progressed westward, and favorable conditions allowed Iniki to gain major hurricane status on September 10, south-southwest of the Aloha State
This was the worst-case scenario for Hawaii as Hurricane Iniki, now a major hurricane, targeted the southwest shore of the chain’s western islands. With sustained winds peaking at about 145 mph with gusts up to 175 mph, Hurricane Iniki made landfall over Kauai and approached Oahu as a Category 4 hurricane on September 11, 1992. This led to catastrophic damages in excess of $3 billion, making this the costliest hurricane to impact Hawaii in history. In fact, this storm is the second costliest hurricane to form in the eastern and central Pacific hurricane basin. Nearly 20 feet of high water swept onto the coastlines of Kauai, with some pushing over 800 feet inland.
Over a thousand homes were destroyed amid Iniki’s rampage over Kauai and Oahu, and 6 people lost their lives. Kauai was the hardest hit of the Hawaiian Islands. The name “Iniki” was retired from the Pacific naming list due to the devastation caused by the storm.
Sources: NHC, NOAA
Story Image: Hurricane Iniki as it made landfall over Kauai on September 11, 1992. (NOAA)