Hawaii Facing Historic Flooding Amidst Kona Low Threat
In mid-March 2026, back-to-back Kona low systems dropped more than 60 inches of rain across six Hawaiian islands, triggering the most destructive flooding the state had seen in over two decades. By the time the second storm passed, early damage estimates had already crossed $1 billion in combined public and private losses. This article walks through what a Kona low actually is, how the two storms unfolded, which communities were hit hardest, and what travelers should know about visiting Hawaii during Kona low season. Two back-to-back Kona low systems within ten days — a pattern National Weather Service meteorologists