Special Marine Warning Issued for Maui County and Big Island Waters Through 9:45 PM HST
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 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 Maui and Big Island leeward waters as severe thunderstorms with 50-knot wind gusts move through the region.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Hawaii Marine Waters
- Issued
- April 6, 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 Hawaii Marine Waters.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Honolulu HI has issued a Special Marine Warning (MAW) for several Hawaiian marine zones. This alert was triggered by radar-indicated severe thunderstorms moving through the area.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Alenuihaha Channel
- Big Island Leeward Waters
- Maalaea Bay
- Maui County Leeward Waters
Specific locations impacted include Lahaina Harbor, Molokini, and FAD Buoys HS, LA, JJ, GG, Nl, and SO.
What You Should Do
Mariners and residents in the affected areas should take immediate precautions:
- Seek Safe Harbor: Move to a safe location immediately.
- Safety Gear: Ensure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket.
- Take Cover: Stay low or go below deck to avoid hazardous conditions.
- Be Alert: Thunderstorms can produce sudden waterspouts which can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas.
Expected Conditions
At 7:50 PM HST, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Molokini to 28 nm southwest of FAD Buoy JJ, moving northeast at 45 knots.
- Wind: Gusts in excess of 50 knots are expected.
- Hazards: Steep and fast-building seas, blinding downpours, and potential waterspouts.
- Impact: Boats could suffer significant structural damage. Small craft are at risk of capsizing in suddenly higher waves.
Timeline
The alert is effective as of 7:51 PM HST on March 13, 2026. The warning is currently scheduled to expire at 9:45 PM HST on March 13, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
Related Weather Alerts
All Weather Alerts →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NWS weather alert.