What are my risks?

• What are the chances of a hurricane destroying my home?
  
  
• Where have the most wind-related insurance claims been for Maui County?
  
  
• What are the potential costs of future hurricanes on Maui?
  
  
• Where have strong winds been measured on Maui?

What are the chances of a hurricane destroying my home?

No one knows. We can only go on past history. Almost no one expected a hurricane as powerful as Iniki would strike Hawaii. The best we can guess is hurricanes in the future will probably hit Hawaii as frequently as they have in the past. We know that since 1950 five hurricanes or tropical storms have caused serious damage in Hawaii. Hurricane Nina in 1957 produced record winds in Honolulu. Hurricane Dot did a lot of damage on Kauai in 1959. Hurricane Iwa did extensive damage on Kauai and Oahu in 1982. Hurricane Estelle produced very high surf on Hawaii and Maui and floods on Oahu in 1986. Hurricane Iniki did extensive damage on Kauai and Leeward Oahu in 1992. Since 1950, seven other tropical storms or hurricanes could have caused serious damage. These include Hurricane Fernanda in 1993, Hurricane Emilia in 1994, and Hurricane Daniel in August 2000.

Where have the most wind-related insurance claims been for Maui County?

The data for this map was compiled from various insurance firms' homeowner policy claims from 1989 to 1999. This is intended to serve only for a general hazard indicator map and is not meant as a policy document.

Source: Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund

What are the potential losses from future hurricanes on Maui?

If a Category 1 storm as strong as Hurricane Iwa, with winds gusting at 74 mph, strikes any of the islands in the state, we can guess from past experience that about 12% of the houses and apartments could be destroyed or heavily damaged and about 18% would probably experience minor damages.

If a Category 3 storm strikes any island with the same force as Iniki, with winds raging at 130 mph, we can guess that about 38% of the homes will be heavily damaged or destroyed. An additional 40% will probably have minor damages.

The following information was extrapolated from Kauai Damage in 1982 and 1992. ($ billion in 1992)

Source: Hawaii Coastal Hazard Mitigation Planning Project, Office of Planning, December 1993

Where have strong winds been measured on Maui?

Click to enlarge

Strong trade winds have hammered north and east shores with winds of 40-60 mph (e.g., December 1993, March 1985, and December 1982).

There can be a slight acceleration of the trade winds as they blow between West Maui and Haleakala, so that wind speeds at Maalaea and north Kihei may be higher than along the North Shore.

Damaging Kona winds have reached velocities of 50 mph for several days (e.g., December 1996 and 1988). These winds typically impact the south-facing shorelines, but are also potential threats to the north shore as the winds accelerate down the north slopes of Haleakala.

Some of the strongest wind events on Maui have been associated with passing hurricanes, like Hurricane Nina in November 1957, which brought gusts greater than 90 mph to parts of Maui, and tropical storms like Daniel in July 1982 which caused damage along Maui's east coast.