| EF0 tornado | |
|---|---|
 The record-setting hailstone being measured. | |
| Tornadoes confirmed | One |
| Max. rating | EF0 tornado |
| Damage | $25,000 |
| Areas affected | Oahu, Lanai |
| Part of tornado outbreaks in 2012 Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale | |
On the morning of March 9, 2012, a long-lived hailstorm hit the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Lanai. The hailstorm was produced by a supercell thunderstorm. This event produced the largest hailstone ever recorded in Hawaii since records began in 1950. The hailstone was measured at 4.25 in (10 cm) long, 2.25 in (6 cm) tall, and 2 in (5 cm) wide. National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Birchard stated that the event was "unprecedented."
In addition to the spectacular early-morning lightning storms and flooding from the 4 feet (1.2 meters) of rainfall received, a tornadic waterspout formed off the coast of Oahu during the morning of March 9, 2012. Non-supercellular waterspouts are not uncommon (the State of Hawaii records an average of one waterspout/tornado per year), this mesocyclone-induced waterspout tracked inland for 1.5 miles, becoming an EF0 tornado that caused minor damage to the Enchanted Lakes subdivision of Kailua at 7:10 am Hawaiian-Aleutian Time.
Confirmed tornadoes
March 9 event
| List of reported tornadoes - Friday, March 9, 2012 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF# | Location | County | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Comments/Damage |
| Hawaii | ||||||
| EF0 | ESE of Kailua | Honolulu | 21°24′N 157°43′W / 21.40°N 157.72°W / 21.40; -157.72 (Kailua (Mar. 9, EF0)) | 0910 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | Tornado started as a waterspout that moved ashore. Roofs were damaged, signs and power lines were knocked down, and trees were snapped. |
| Sources: NWS Honolulu | ||||||
See also
References
- Storm Events Database, NOAA
- "Hailstone sets state record in Hawaii". USA Today. March 23, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- Kakesako, Gregg K. (March 10, 2012). "Hail freezes over in Hawaii". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- Hawaii News Now (KGMB-TV and KHNL-TV)
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