Special Marine Warning Issued for Big Island Waters; Waterspouts and 34-Knot Gusts Possible
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 2, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Big Island waters until 8:00 AM HST due to a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Big Island Waters, Hawaii
- Issued
- April 2, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Honolulu
Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Big Island Waters, Hawaii.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a Special Marine Warning for the maritime regions surrounding the Big Island. The alert was issued at 6:00 AM HST on March 15, 2026, after radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Big Island Leeward Waters
- Big Island Southeast Waters
- Big Island Windward Waters
Specific locations expected to be impacted include South Point, Cape Kumukahi, and FAD Buoys SS, A, KH, and RN.
What You Should Do
Mariners and individuals in the affected areas should take immediate safety precautions:
- Prepare for Hazards: Be ready for gusty winds, steep and fast-building seas, and blinding downpours.
- Seek Shelter: Stay low or go below deck to remain safe during the storm.
- Safety Equipment: Ensure all persons on board are wearing life jackets.
- Avoidance: Waterspouts can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas; small craft should exercise extreme caution as they could be damaged by sudden high winds and waves.
Expected Conditions
At 5:58 AM HST, a severe thunderstorm was located near South Point, or approximately 12 nautical miles south of Discovery Harbour. The system is moving northeast at 30 knots.
- Hazards: Potential for waterspouts and wind gusts of 34 knots or greater.
- Source: Radar indicated.
- Impact: Risk of overturned vessels and suddenly higher waves.
Timeline
The Special Marine Warning is effective immediately as of 6:00 AM HST and is currently scheduled to expire at 8:00 AM HST on March 15, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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