On This Day in History in 1957: Hurricane Nina Pounds Hawaii

Hawaii's history shows it is quite rare for hurricanes to impact the islands. However, on this day in 1957, Hurricane Nina pounded the island chain.

The final storm of the moderately active 1957 Pacific hurricane season took shape to the south of Hawaii on November 29. A tropical disturbance was organizing within an area of favorable atmospheric conditions and grew into a tropical storm once hurricane hunters investigated the system.  

As the cyclone steadily tracked north-northeast toward Hawaii, it gradually strengthened, becoming a Category 1 Hurricane by the morning of November 30. At this time, the National Weather Bureau issued warnings for the storm, informing Hawaii residents to take precautions and possibly evacuate.

During the evening of November 30, Nina’s forward speed decreased, and it started moving to the north, toward Kauai. After slowly traveling northward on December 1, Nina began to head north northwestward before turning sharply to the west on December 2 away from the island chain.

While Nina didn’t directly strike the state, it came close enough to within 120 miles to deliver heavy rains, with 20.42 inches falling in Wainiha in 14 hours. Nina produced heavy surf, with waves as high as 35 feet, and generated 92 mph winds in Kauai. Nina caused $100,000 in damages and destroyed 12 homes. There were also 4 fatalities across the islands, and the highest wind gust ever recorded in Honolulu, 82 mph.

This was the first and final time the name Nina was used for a Central Pacific tropical system. Though the name was not retired, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center began assigning Hawaiian names to named storms between 140°W and the dateline in the late 1970s. Therefore, the name "Nina" is unlikely to ever be used again.

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Story Image: Rainstorm captured in Hawaii. (via Pixabay.com)