There were quite a few high wind events in Kawaihae in the month of March, but the windstorm during the afternoon and evening or March 30 was the strongest.
The winds picked up around 2pm, as they often do, and went from near calm to 50mph gusts in less than five minutes. By 5pm the winds were gusting up to 60mph. At this point I left my neighborhood to film the winds in other areas. I was surprised to see that the winds were completely calm about two miles downwind of my house in Kawaihae, and they were gusting to only 20mph or so just a quarter mile up hill from my house. After sunset the winds probably gusted over 70mph, and some damage occurred, including a window broken from flying debris.
My house regularly experiences winds over 50mph, but this was the first time, apart from a windstorm in 1990, where there was any damage.
A wind gust of 71mph was recorded on the island of Maui.
If you would like to use any of my footage, contact me at
[email protected].
The following morning around sunrise the winds were completely calm. By 9am they were again gusting to nearly 60mph.
