Another hurricane just sideswiped Hawaii – why the islands’ usual force field seems to be down in 2026

Cooler ocean temperatures east of the islands typically keep major hurricanes away, but El Niño is helping fuel this year’s risks.

By: Nicholas Grondin, University of Tampa, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 9, 2026

Words: 1,223

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 3 days ago

By Nicholas Grondin, University of Tampa

The Hawaiian Islands rarely see significant hurricane damage, but they just experienced the effects of their third hurricane in a year as slow-moving Hurricane Nolo brought flooding rain and powerful winds to the islands as it passed by them in late September 2026.

Nolo followed Hurricane Lowell, whose eyewall brushed Niihau, west of Kauai, on Sept. 8. In August, a near-miss by Hurricane Lala brought hurricane-force …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.