2012 Hawaii hailstorm

Weather event in Hawaii, United States

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2012 Hawaii HailstormEF0 tornado

The record-setting hailstone being measured.

Tornadoes
confirmed| One
Max. rating1| EF0 tornado
Damage| $25,000[1]
Areas affected| Oahu, Lanai

Part of tornado outbreaks in 2012

1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale

On the morning of March 9, 2012, a long-lived hailstorm hit the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Lanai. The hailstorm was produced by a supercell thunderstorm , a storm that produces high intensity winds that change trajectory mostly in the mid and lower levels of the storm, which lead to a large amount of energy to be produced resulting in strong updrafts.[2] This marked a memorable day for Hawaiians as these storms are usually unheard of in Hawaii and mostly are formed in the central plain of the United States.[2] This event produced the largest hailstone ever recorded in Hawaii since records began in 1950. Many people stated that the initial hail falling from the sky could be compared to the size of a nickel, golf ball, or even a grapefruit.[3] During the storm, NOAA documented multiple reports of hail in Hawaii, with some hail measuring between 2-3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm) in diameter, and even larger ones as the storm got stronger.[4]The hailstone was measured at 4.25 in (10 cm) long, 2.25 in (6 cm) tall, and 2 in (5 cm) wide.[5] National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Birchard stated that the event was "unprecedented."[6]

Background

Hawaii located in the Northern and Western Hemisphere falls into a transitional period of weather from winter to summer dated to come around March 1st also known as the start of meteorological spring.[7] To produce such large hailstorm temperatures must begin to alternate from cool to warmer temperatures.[8] Over time temperatures begin to roughly get warmer which cause two different air masses to clash and develop a thunderstorm.[7] The combination of Meteorological Spring and the creation of hail through the process of precipitation is what lead to the record-breaking supercell hailstorm of Hawaii on March of the year 2012.[7] It said that a supercell storm is one of the most violent storms that could possibly happen as it can follow with aggressive winds with large hail and can even lead to tornados.[9]

Confirmed Tornado

In addition to the spectacular early-morning lightning storms and flooding from the 4 feet (1.2 meters) of rainfall received, a tornadic waterspout formed off the coast of Oahu during the morning of March 9, 2012. Non-supercellular waterspouts are not uncommon (the State of Hawaii records an average of one waterspout/tornado per year), this mesocyclone-induced waterspout tracked inland for 1.5 miles, becoming an EF0 tornado that caused minor damage to the Enchanted Lakes subdivision of Kailua at 7:10 am Hawaiian-Aleutian Time.[10] Notably, this event was significant as it marked one of the few confirmed occurrences of an EF0 tornado, which typically signifies less severe weather phenomena.[11] However, despite its classification, this tornado could produce winds ranging from 60-70 mph which led to considerable damage in Lanikai and Enchanted Lakes.[11] The impacts of this weather event were felt across region, highlighting the unpredictable nature of such natural disasters.

Aftermath

The events of March 2012 marked truly historic and bizarre weather phenomenon that stunned Hawaiians. Powerful storms swept across the island unleashed an immense amount of hail that filled landscapes and roadways.[12] In the aftermath, residents found themselves in the surreal situation of having to shovel ice and snow from their driveways and streets.[12]

## Confirmed tornadoes

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### March 9 event

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List of reported tornadoes - Friday, March 9, 2012

EF# | Location | County | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Comments/Damage
Hawaii
EF0 | ESE of Kailua | Honolulu | 21°24′N 157°43′W﻿ / ﻿21.40°N 157.72°W﻿ / 21.40; -157.72﻿ (Kailua (Mar. 9, EF0)) | 0910  | 1.5 miles (2.4 km)  | Tornado started as a waterspout that moved ashore. Roofs were damaged, signs and power lines were knocked down, and trees were snapped.
Sources: NWS Honolulu

## See also

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* List of costly or deadly hailstorms
* List of Hawaii tornadoes

## References

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1. ^ Storm Events Database, NOAA
2. ^ a b "Rare supercell thunderstorm in Hawaii produces record size hailstone". phys.org. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
3. ^ Daniel, Matt (March 28, 2012). "EarthSky | Hail in the U.S. in March 2012". earthsky.org. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
4. ^ Jeanna Bryner (March 25, 2012). "Largest Hailstone Confirmed in Hawaii". Live Science. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
5. ^ "Hailstone sets state record in Hawaii". USA Today. March 23, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
6. ^ Kakesako, Gregg K. (March 10, 2012). "Hail freezes over in Hawaii". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
7. ^ a b c Daniel, Matt (March 28, 2012). "EarthSky | Hail in the U.S. in March 2012". earthsky.org. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
8. ^ "Rare supercell thunderstorm in Hawaii produces record size hailstone". phys.org. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
9. ^ Jeanna Bryner (March 25, 2012). "Largest Hailstone Confirmed in Hawaii". Live Science. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
10. ^ Hawaii News Now (KGMB-TV and KHNL-TV)
11. ^ a b Ward, Bill (January 8, 2013). "Hawaiian Record Hail and Tornado Event of March 9, 2012". AMS. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
12. ^ a b Ward, Bill (January 8, 2013). "Hawaiian Record Hail and Tornado Event of March 9, 2012". AMS. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)

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