March 2026 Kona Low Storms Impact Hawaiʻi and Activate Amateur Radio Emergency Support |
Between March 10 and 15, 2026, Hawaiʻi was struck by the first of two powerful back-to-back kona low storm systems that brought destructive winds, torrential rainfall, and widespread flooding across the state. The severe weather caused extensive tree damage, inundated roadways, and, in several instances, resulted in the loss of homes. Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) were activated statewide, along with volunteer emergency communications groups including the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). |
Despite widespread power outages, commercial communications infrastructure remained largely operational, allowing civil authorities to maintain critical coordination throughout both storm events. |
On Oʻahu and Maui, EOCs relied on coordinated support from ARES and RACES operators, who provided real-time situational awareness by relaying ground-level weather observations, infrastructure impacts, and community conditions. Voice reports transmitted through linked VHF repeater systems were supplemented by formal ICS-213 messages delivered via peer-to-peer Winlink connections over both VHF and HF, including operations on 7.090 MHz. |
To support interoperability, a publicly accessible ICS-205 communications plan was posted online and shared among amateur radio groups statewide. This enabled consistent frequency coordination and streamlined information flow during the emergency response. |
On Hawaiʻi Island, approximately a dozen amateur radio operators delivered localized weather updates and road condition reports to both emergency management officials and their communities. Communications were maintained through linked repeater networks, Winlink messaging, and HF voice operations. These reports proved valuable as emergency crews worked to clear landslides and restore damaged power and telecommunications infrastructure. |
From Jim Tatar, WH6EMN, on the Big Island of Hawaii: |
During recent storm activity, our team staffed the Hilo Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on both HF and VHF bands. Overall, traffic was lower than in previous emergencies. This reduction was partially due to many operators submitting reports directly via the Civil Defense website, allowing for self-reporting. Additionally, increased use of the AllStar network has expedited reporting and reduced reliance on traditional nets. |
Many operators were actively canvassing their neighborhoods, reporting damage directly to the EOC via the internet. This approach significantly expedited the flow of information and reduced the workload for the on-site EOC operator, who was simultaneously monitoring HF and VHF traffic while performing scribe duties and managing communications. |
Despite this, we received critical reports from locations across the island without phone or internet service, which were relayed by on-duty amateur radio operators. Activity levels varied throughout the storms, with busier periods correlating with heightened storm activity in specific areas and quieter periods elsewhere. |
During the first storm, the 146.82 MHz repeater lost power, requiring operations to shift to 146.76 MHz. WH6GRW, Luke McKay, ascended to the summit to manually reset the 146.82 repeater when conditions allowed. Special thanks to the Big Island Amateur Radio Club (BIARC) for generously providing repeater access during this period. |
Understanding Kona Low Storm Systems |
A kona low is a subtropical weather pattern capable of producing significantly wetter, windier, and more volatile conditions than Hawaiʻi typically experiences under prevailing trade winds. These systems often generate southerly or southwesterly winds that draw warm, moisture-laden air toward the islands. The result can include prolonged heavy rainfall, flash flooding, thunderstorms, damaging winds, and snowfall at high elevations on Hawaiʻi Island. |
Back-to-Back Storm Impacts |
The first kona low impacted the islands from March 9 through March 15. A second powerful system followed beginning March 19, striking communities that were still recovering from the earlier event. The successive storms overwhelmed saturated watersheds and drove total statewide damage estimates beyond $1 billion. State officials described the flooding as among the most severe experienced in the past two decades. |
The second storm delivered more than a foot of rain in some areas, including 22.51 inches recorded at Kaʻala on Oʻahu. Floodwaters submerged vehicles, washed away homes, and forced evacuations in vulnerable regions. Emergency managers ordered approximately 5,500 residents north of Honolulu to evacuate amid concerns over rising water levels at Wahiawā Dam. Reservoir levels peaked near 85 feet on March 20 before stabilizing, allowing evacuation orders to be lifted the following day. |
Power outages compounded the disruption. Utility providers reported thousands of customers without service during the first storm, followed by widespread outages affecting more than 100,000 customers statewide at the peak of the second system on March 21. Restoration efforts continued for several days as crews addressed flood-related damage.  |
Record Rainfall and Severe Weather |
The kona lows produced historic precipitation totals across the state. On March 13 alone, Honolulu recorded 5.51 inches of rain, surpassing a daily record that had stood since 1951. Kahului on Maui measured 7.40 inches, exceeding not only its daily record but also the station’s all-time single-day rainfall record. |
Storm totals exceeded three feet in some higher-elevation areas. Notable rainfall accumulations included: |
- Kula, Maui: 44.37 inches
- Kamehamenui, Maui: 34.59 inches
- Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi Island: 25.45 inches
- Pali, Hawaiʻi Island: 22.67 inches
- North Wailua Ditch, Kauaʻi: 19.38 inches
- Schofield Barracks, Oʻahu: 19.27 inches
In addition to heavy rain, wind gusts exceeding 100 mph were reported, along with one to two feet of snowfall on high summits. |
Continued Flooding and Infrastructure Impacts |
Flood conditions persisted even after the primary storm periods. On March 23, an unexpected flash flood affected areas above Pālolo Valley and Mānoa on Oʻahu, inundating commercial centers, schools, and residential neighborhoods. University housing facilities were evacuated as floodwaters rendered roads impassable and submerged parked vehicles. |
The storms also caused multiple wastewater system failures on Oʻahu and a significant sewage spill on Kauaʻi. Several dam safety incidents required emergency notifications and at least one evacuation order. At the peak of the crisis, more than 13,000 customers experienced prolonged power outages lasting from several hours to multiple days. |
One couple visiting from Colorado wrote SOS in the sand and it actually worked! A couple was stranded at Yokohama Bay for 24 hours until the Coast Guard spotted their message from the air. |
As of the time of reporting, residents in parts of Oʻahu’s North Shore remained under boil-water advisories while recovery and infrastructure repairs continued. |
The Board of Water Supply (BWS) urges all residents from Honokai Hale to Mākaha to use water for essential purposes only – drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene. Electrical outages caused by the storm have impacted the BWS’s water system serving the Leeward Coast community, from Honokai Hale to Mākaha. |
Access to several communities was cut off due to landslides, roadway washouts, and damage to critical infrastructure resulting from the severe weather events. Emergency responders conducted more than 230 rescues during the flooding, while numerous residents were displaced from their homes. With immediate life-safety operations largely complete, response agencies have transitioned to damage assessment and recovery efforts, including debris removal, restoration of utilities, and support for affected communities. |
In advance of the first storm system, the Governor issued a statewide emergency proclamation based on forecasts warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, flooding, road closures, and damaging winds from March 10 through March 15. County-level emergency proclamations followed as impacts intensified. |
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