Kona Low Triggers Severe Hawaii Flooding, Evacuations

Heavy rains from a powerful Kona low storm system battered Hawaii over the weekend of March 20-22, 2026, triggering widespread evacuations on Oahu and causing the state's worst flooding in more than two decades. The deluge, the second major storm to strike within a week, saturated already soaked soil and prompted officials to order about 5,500 residents north of Honolulu to flee rising waters that swept away homes and vehicles along the North Shore.

The flooding stemmed from intense rainfall, with parts of Oahu receiving 8 to 12 inches overnight and up to 50 inches across the islands in the past 10 days. Meteorologists attributed the severity to the Kona low, a slow-moving weather pattern that pulls in moisture-laden air from the south and southwest. Ground already waterlogged from the previous week's storm amplified the risks, leading to flash floods, landslides and fallen trees. On Oahu, muddy torrents inundated neighborhoods in Waialua and Haleiwa, famous for big-wave surfing, while authorities warned of threats to infrastructure including roads, schools and a hospital on Maui.

Evacuation orders focused on areas downstream from the 120-year-old Wahiawa Dam, an earthen...