Flash Flood in Hawaii County, Hawaii

Heavy rain developed over the Kona slopes during the evening of March 14. At approximately 1000 pm HST, significant flooding was reported on Alii Drive with a large amount of water on roadways. A Kealakekua resident reported flood waters coming down a hill and flooding his property, destroying the flooring and forcing his family to evacuate. His neighbors were reportedly hit harder; his neighbor's farm's water supply was taken offline and the flood waters broke up the asphalt on his driveway and opened many cracks. The County reportedly responded to 25 to 30 calls to save people's lives when heavy rain bands hit Ka'u and South Kona. Between the Ka'u and South Kona Districts, 18 to 20 people were rescued. Other residents reported massive potholes, broken up asphalt, and boulders along with flooding impacting homes. Fifteen dead goats were reportedly found washed up or floating in Kawaihae harbor.

From March 12th through March 14th of 2026, a large and powerful kona storm setup over the northern central Pacific, and brought numerous impacts across the state. This low was supported by a broad and potent upper level trough that lingered for many days. Impacts included flash flooding, wind damage, large surf, and strong thunderstorms.