The hurricane season in the central Pacific region, which includes Kauai, starts on June 1st, 2021 and runs through November 30th, 2021. According to the National Weather Service, this year’s outlook for Kauai calls for two to five tropical cyclones with an 80 percent chance of a near to below normal season. The outlook is a general guide to the overall seasonal hurricane activity in the Central Pacific basin and does not predict whether or how many of these systems will affect Kauai. An average season has four or five storms, which includes tropical depressions, tropical storms as well as hurricanes, reports the National Weather Service.
Most storms in the central Pacific region have a minimal impact on Kauai due to the large expanse of the Pacific region. However, storms have triggered problematic flooding on the island in recent years, and infrequently, Kauai takes a direct hit from a hurricane. Notably, in September 1992, Kauai took a direct hit from Hurricane Iniki with winds more than 145 mph. The hurricane caused more than $3 billion in damages and devastated the island’s coastal infrastructure and tourism assets.
In the event of a hurricane, visitors to Kauai are encouraged to follow local directives. Shelters are often set up to house tourists and local residents during emergencies such as storms and hurricanes.
Visit the National Hurricane Center for the Central Pacific Region to stay up to date about tropical cyclones and disturbances in the Kauai region.
Steps You Can Take as a Tourist During Hurricane Season
Listen to local radio or television weather forecasts.
– Hurricane Watch – A hurricane is possible within 48 hours. Stay tuned for additional advisories.
– Hurricane Warning – A hurricane is expected within 36 hours. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
Discuss with your traveling party about hurricanes. Plan a place to meet your party in case you are separated from one another in a disaster.
Prepare to survive on your own for at least three days. Gather several days supply of water and food.
Be prepared to evacuate. Fuel your car, review evacuation routes.
If you are not required to evacuate, stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows. Do not be fooled if there is a lull, it could be the eye of the storm. Winds could pick up again.
After the storm, stay where you are if you are in a safe location until local authorities say it is okay to leave.
Stay tuned to local radio or television stations for information about the situation.
Stay away from disaster areas unless local authorities request volunteers.
Drive only when necessary. The streets could be filled with debris. Do not drive through pools of water or across streams. The water may be deeper, or the stream more swift, than it appears.
Stay away from river banks and streams until potential flooding has passed. Report downed power lines, broken gas, sewer or water mains.
On Kauai’s North Shore, the Hanalei River will sometimes flood during high rain events, closing the highway at the Hanalei Bridge and cutting off access to and from the North Shore. If you do not want to get potentially trapped on the North Shore, consider retreating to at least Princeville before the event, if conditions allow, and if you have access to a secure facility, building or shelter.
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