High Wind in Haleakala Summit, Hawaii

Wind gusts in excess of 50 knots were recorded at the Mees Observatory weather site atop Haleakala starting at 14:05 HST Tuesday. The maximum wind gust of 72 knots was observed a short time later before the gage became inoperable. A Haleakala National Park Ranger recorded an wind gust of 75 knots with a hand held weather sensor. Due to the nature of the observation, it is included here for information only and was not considered in determining the maximum wind gust.

A powerful winter storm brought heavy rains, thunderstorms, high winds, and blizzard conditions to Hawaii in the early part of December. A strong low pressure system northwest of Kauai, along with a cold front moving through the islands, caused significant damage across the state. One fatality can be attributed to the storm, and two known injuries. Trees were toppled, along with power poles and lines. Flash flooding damaged homes, and the inclement weather snarled traffic. The state estimates total damages to be about $5 million.