Hurricane Season in Hawaii: Storm Odds by Month
Quick answer: Hawaii’s hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, but a storm near the islands is rare: in the last 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Honolulu, Maui, Kona or Kauaʻi in 11 of 50 seasons, and a hurricane within 50 miles in 3 of 50 seasons. Kauaʻi has had the closest calls: Iwa (1982), Iniki (1992) and Douglas (2020).
Pick where you are going and when. See in how many of the last 50 hurricane seasons a tropical storm or hurricane came within 100 miles on those dates, and which nearby weeks were calmer.
Key West · Sep 10–16
2 of 50 seasonsA tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Key West on these dates in 2 of the 50 seasons 1976–2025: 4%.
- Within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 100 miles
- 1 of 50
- Safest dates within 4 weeks: Oct 1–7 (0 of 50 seasons), 3 weeks later.
- Storms on these dates: Sally 2020, Irma 2017.
- In 1976–2025, storms came within 100 miles of Key West between Jul 6 and Nov 19.
Historical frequency from NOAA’s best tracks for 1976–2025, not a forecast. For storms this season, see the National Hurricane Center.
The tool above opens on Honolulu (Oʻahu) for September 10–16: change the dates to yours, or pick Maui (Kahului), Kona (Big Island) and Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe). Below, Hawaii’s whole record, 1976–2025.
Place by place
| Place | Storm within 100 mi | Hurricane within 50 mi | Busiest week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu (Oʻahu) | 3 of 50 seasons | 0 of 50 seasons | Jul 23–29 (1) |
| Maui (Kahului) | 5 of 50 seasons | 1 of 50 seasons | Sep 10–16 (2) |
| Kona (Big Island) | 5 of 50 seasons | 0 of 50 seasons | Jul 16–22 (1) |
| Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) | 5 of 50 seasons | 3 of 50 seasons | Jul 23–29 (1) |
Hurricane season in Hawaii, month by month
In how many of the 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of each place at some point in that month.
| Month | Honolulu (Oʻahu) | Maui (Kahului) | Kona (Big Island) | Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) | Any of them |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| August | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| September | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| October | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| November | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Most of Hawaii’s storms came between July and September; the busiest month is September. Kona and Honolulu have had no hurricane within 50 miles in these 50 seasons.
The busiest week
Honolulu (Oʻahu): no week stands out — no week of the year had a storm within 100 miles in more than 1 of 50 seasons. Maui (Kahului): Sep 10–16, when a storm came within 100 miles in 2 of 50 seasons. Kona (Big Island): no week stands out — no week of the year had a storm within 100 miles in more than 1 of 50 seasons. Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe): no week stands out — no week of the year had a storm within 100 miles in more than 1 of 50 seasons. The chart in the tool shows all 52 weeks.
Every storm within 100 miles since 1976 (12)
| Storm | Within 100 miles | Closest | Near |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiko (2025) | Sep 10 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Maui (Kahului) |
| Hone (2024) | Aug 25 | a hurricane within 100 miles | Kona (Big Island) |
| Douglas (2020) | Jul 26–27 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Honolulu (Oʻahu), Maui (Kahului) and Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) |
| Olivia (2018) | Sep 12–13 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Honolulu (Oʻahu), Maui (Kahului) and Kona (Big Island) |
| Darby (2016) | Jul 23–24 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Kona (Big Island) |
| Iselle (2014) | Aug 8 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Kona (Big Island) |
| Ana (2014) | Oct 19 | a hurricane within 100 miles | Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) |
| Iniki (1992) | Sep 11–12 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) |
| Dalilia (1989) | Jul 20 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Kona (Big Island) |
| Gil (1983) | Aug 3–4 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Honolulu (Oʻahu), Maui (Kahului) and Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) |
| Iwa (1982) | Nov 24 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) |
| Jova (1981) | Sep 20 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Maui (Kahului) |
When the season runs
Hawaii is in the central Pacific basin, whose hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (source). The season is when storms are likely, not the only time they can form: the table above counts every storm, whenever it came.
Plan it
- Where to go in Hawaii for the first time
- Is island hopping in Hawaii worth it?
- What not to miss in Honolulu
- Hurricane risk for your exact dates in Honolulu (Oʻahu)
- Honolulu (Oʻahu)’s weather, month by month
FAQ
When is hurricane season in Hawaii?
The central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. In 50 seasons (1976–2025), the storms that came within 100 miles of Honolulu (Oʻahu), Maui (Kahului), Kona (Big Island) or Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) did so between July 20 and November 24, most often in September.
Does Hawaii get hurricanes?
Yes. In 50 seasons, a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Honolulu (Oʻahu), Maui (Kahului), Kona (Big Island) or Kauaʻi (Līhuʻe) in 11, and a hurricane came within 50 miles in 3: Douglas (2020), Iniki (1992) and Iwa (1982).
What is the worst month for hurricanes in Hawaii?
September: a storm came within 100 miles in 4 of the 50 seasons, then July with 3.
What is the safest time to visit Hawaii in hurricane season?
Within the season, June: no storm came within 100 miles in any of the 50 seasons. Outside June 1 to November 30, no storm came near at all.
How these numbers are made
From NOAA’s best tracks (HURDAT2), every storm’s centre is followed hour by hour and measured against each place; a season counts once it had a tropical storm or hurricane within 100 miles (or 50) on at least one day. It is history, not a forecast: for a storm that exists today, read the National Hurricane Center.