What You Need To Know About Hawaii Hurricanes

Update 9/10/18 – Hurricane Olivia/Tropical Storm Olivia – Folks on Maui should expect some higher than usual winds and rainfall beginning 9/12 early in the morning, but no one is projecting a full disaster/hurricane situation. These higher wind rainy days will result in full refunds or free rescheduling for scheduled activities and events. If you need more info visit www.noaa.gov.

Update: Hurricane Lane – None of the Projected Models Show This Hurricane directly hitting Hawaii. However, the outer edges of this Hawaii Hurricane will bring significant rain and wind to the Hawaiian Islands. Keep in mind, all of our activities are 100% refundable in the event of weather-related cancellations.

1) Don’t Freak Out!: During the fall every year many large weather systems are created off the coast of South America and head westward across the Pacific Ocean. Only a couple of these tropical weather patterns will turn into tropical storms and/or hurricanes. Since Hawaii is a very small blip on the radar of the Pacific Ocean, a full-blown hurricane hitting Hawaii is extremely rare and most of the click-bait and news you see when seeking info is itself overblown. The last significant hurricane was in 1992, we are fortunate not to have the activity that the Gulf of Mexico has.

2) Know Your Island: Position is everything when it comes to hurricanes in Hawaii. If an organized tropical storm or hurricane does make its way to the Hawaiian Island chain, the direction it comes is everything. If it’s headed towards the Big Island and you are on Maui or Oahu, don’t expect much more than some wind and rain. The three volcanoes that make up the Big Island are HUGE and ultimately block the path of the hurricane. Unfortunately, the brunt of such a storm is taken by the eastern side of the Big Island and the kama’aina (local folks) living there are no strangers to natural disasters. See Kilauea Volcano for example.

3)Plan Accordingly!: Don’t let the potential threat (and mainstream news media) of a potential Hawaii hurricane ruin your trip (unless it had to). Stay up to date on weather conditions and plan to have fun anyway. Everything we book is cancellable with a full refund, if you want to snorkel but are worried about a storm, don’t worry, if the ocean is rough or it’s rainy, the captain will make the call and many times you can decide to go or not go the morning of the trip.

4) Indoor Activities: If a hurricane does hit Hawaii, make sure you are stocked up on the essentials like food and water, our Hawaii emergency services are very reliable, but it’s not impossible for the power to be down for a day or two. Have a couple good books and a charge on your iPad for some movies. As long as your getting to spend quality time with your loved ones and not at work, your still winning! If you’re staying at a major resort, follow their emergency plans and don’t underestimate the potential risk a hurricane can bring.