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Why Are Hurricanes Rare in Hawaii?
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Satellite image showing Hurricane Iniki as a swirling white storm system over the Pacific Ocean, with the eye of the hurricane near the Hawaiian Islands. World map showing major ocean current systems, with arrows indicating the direction and speed of warm and cold currents in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. Warm currents are marked in red and cold currents in blue, with currents labeled by name and symbols denoting those that reverse direction seasonally. A legend explains current speed categories and color codes.
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Satellite image showing Hurricane Iniki as a swirling white storm system over the Pacific Ocean, with the eye of the hurricane near the Hawaiian Islands.
Hurricane Iniki, which passed over Kauai in 1992, is one of the few hurricanes to make landfall in the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian Islands see few hurricane landfalls due to the archipelago's location and prevailing patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the North Pacific Ocean.

Why Are Hurricanes Rare in Hawaii?

Written by
John P. Rafferty
John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to...
John P. Rafferty
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

One would think that a group of tropical islands that lie just south of the Tropic of Cancer would be a prime target for hurricanes. Hawaii has plenty of heat, moisture, and waterfront, yet few hurricanes make landfall (which occurs when a hurricane’s eyewall crosses a coastline). Why have these islands been so lucky? Much of Hawaii’s good fortune has to do with being a small target in a large ocean, along with long-standing patterns...

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