Hurricane Iselle was the strongest
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
to make
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on the
island of Hawaii
Hawaii is the List of islands of the United States by area, largest island in the United States, located in the Hawaii, state of Hawaii, the southernmost state in the union. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcani ...
in recorded history. The tenth
named storm, fifth hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the
2014 hurricane season, Iselle
developed from an area of disturbed weather southwest of
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
on July 31, 2014. Assuming a west-northwest course that it would maintain throughout its existence, generally favorable atmospheric conditions allowed for gradual strengthening, with the cyclone attaining hurricane status a day after formation. Continued strengthening progressed for several days up until August 4, when Iselle reached peak intensity with
maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a certain distance from the center, known as the radius of ma ...
s of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum
barometric pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of 947
mbar (
hPa
The pascal (symbol: Pa) is the unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is also used to quantify internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. The unit, named after Blaise Pascal, is an S ...
; 27.96
inHg
Inch of mercury (inHg, ″Hg, or in) is a non- SI unit of measurement for pressure. It is used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States.
It is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury in h ...
), making it a
Category 4 hurricane. Thereafter, Iselle encountered hostile environmental conditions and quickly weakened before making landfall on the Big Island on August 8 as a moderate tropical storm. Its passage over the island disrupted the cyclone, and Iselle later dissipated on August 9.
Widespread precautionary measures took place across Hawaii as forecasts indicated the potential for a Hawaiian landfall as early as August 2. Then-governor
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie is a ...
signed an emergency proclamation into effect, and numerous government facilities were closed. Several airlines cancelled flights servicing the archipelago. Upon making landfall, Iselle brought torrential rainfall and caused strong winds which resulted in widespread
power outage
A power outage, also called a blackout, a power failure, a power blackout, a power loss, a power cut, or a power out is the complete loss of the electrical power network supply to an end user.
There are many causes of power failures in an el ...
s and downed trees. The storm caused heavy crop damage, estimated at $79.2 million (2014
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
), including 60% of the state's
papaya
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae, and also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within ...
that was lost. This was enough to be classified as an agriculture disaster, and was eventually declared a disaster by
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
after initially being denied. The storm also killed one person on Kauai as a result of flooding.
Meteorological history
In late July 2014,
computer models
Computer simulation is the running of a mathematical model on a computer, the model being designed to represent the behaviour of, or the outcome of, a real-world or physical system. The reliability of some mathematical models can be determin ...
began to indicate the possible formation of a
low-pressure area
In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
off the coast of southwestern
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, prompting the
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the IERS Reference Meridian, Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian ...
(NHC) to assess the region with a low probability of
tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropics, tropical cyclogenesis occur are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occu ...
on July 24.
These forecasts began to come to fruition on July 28 when an area of
thunderstorms
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are som ...
associated with a
tropical wave
A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
developed off the Mexican coast. Tracking westward in favorable conditions, the system organized over the following days. A tropical depression formed by 12:00
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
on July 31.
Six hours later, the NHC upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Iselle due to the system's organization and the detection of tropical storm-force winds by the
MetOp-B scatterometer.
At the time, Iselle was located roughly 1,075 mi (1,730 km) southwest of the southern tip of the
Baja California peninsula. Steady intensification continued after formation, with the NHC indicating the possibility of
rapid intensification
Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
. On August 1, Iselle began to develop an
eye
An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system.
In higher organisms, the ey ...
, and this progressive pattern of organization prompted the NHC to upgrade the storm to hurricane status at 00:00 UTC the following day.
Although favorable conditions allowed for the uninhibited growth of Iselle early in its development, moderate
wind shear
Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
briefly impacted the hurricane on August 2, preventing thunderstorms from intensifying and causing the storm to become slightly malformed vertically.
However, these conditions abated shortly afterwards, allowing Iselle to resume strengthening and reach Category 2 hurricane status late that same day.
With wind shear no longer impinging on the organization of Iselle, the tropical cyclone gradually became more symmetric,
allowing for the hurricane's once ragged eye to clear itself of cloud cover and the storm to intensify to
major hurricane status on August 3.
Attaining some
annular tropical cyclone
An annular tropical cyclone is a tropical cyclone that features a normal to large, symmetric eye surrounded by a thick and uniform ring of intense convection, often having a relative lack of discrete rainbands, and bearing a symmetric appearance ...
characteristics, Iselle reaching
Category 4 strength at 12:00 UTC on August 4.
Consequently, Iselle reached peak intensity at 18:00 UTC with
maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a certain distance from the center, known as the radius of ma ...
s of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum
barometric pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of 947
mbar (
hPa
The pascal (symbol: Pa) is the unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is also used to quantify internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. The unit, named after Blaise Pascal, is an S ...
; 27.96
inHg
Inch of mercury (inHg, ″Hg, or in) is a non- SI unit of measurement for pressure. It is used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States.
It is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury in h ...
).
At the same time, the hurricane exhibited an eye 30 mi (45 km) across.
Following peak intensity, the combination of increasing wind shear and lowering
sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s began to slowly weaken Iselle, bringing it below Category 4 intensity early on August 5.
Continued wind shear caused the storm to further degrade and its eye to become ragged in appearance. The NHC downgraded Iselle below major hurricane intensity at 18:00 UTC that day.
At 00:00 UTC on August 6, forecasting responsibility transferred from the NHC to the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacif ...
(CPHC).
Although wind shear began to decrease thereafter, abundant dry air caused Iselle to rapidly weaken, dropping to Category 1 intensity on August 6. However, the suppressed wind shear allowed for the hurricane to reorganize and maintain a large eye as it tracked towards
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
, and Iselle reached its secondary peak intensity with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) at 00:00 UTC on August 7.
On August 7, the upper-level
trough
Trough may refer to:
In science
* Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench
* Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure
* Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave
* Trough level (medicine), the l ...
to the north caused an increase in wind shear, the storm's eye had faded and the CPHC estimated that Iselle had weakened to a minimal hurricane.
Strong wind shear disrupted the system, and Iselle weakened to a tropical storm the next day before making
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
at 12:30 UTC along the
Kau coast of the
Big island with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h).
The mountainous terrain of the island largely disrupted the main cyclonic circulation of Iselle, which manifested as a collection of small
vortices
In fluid dynamics, a vortex (: vortices or vortexes) is a region in a fluid in which the flow revolves around an axis line, which may be straight or curved. Vortices form in stirred fluids, and may be observed in smoke rings, whirlpools in th ...
south of the Hawaiian islands. Due to the loss of any sustained thunderstorm activity at the storm's center, the CPHC decided to downgrade Iselle to a remnant area of low pressure on August 9; at the time, the disturbance was centered roughly 200 mi (320 km) west-southwest of
Honolulu
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
. Iselle's remnant low dissipated two days later.
Preparations
At 21:00 UTC on August 5, the CPHC issued a
tropical storm watch for the island of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
;
forecasts issued by the NHC as early as August 2 illustrated the possibility of Iselle tracking over or in the vicinity of the Hawaiian archipelago.
As the hurricane tracked closer to the islands, watches were extended as far westward as
Oahu
Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
.
The first
hurricane warning associated with Iselle was issued on August 6 for Hawaii County.
Later that day, a tropical storm warning was issued for
Maui
Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
,
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai ( or ; Molokaʻi dialect: Morotaʻi ) is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its g ...
,
Lanai,
Kahoolawe, and Oahu.
By early on August 7, the tropical storm warning was extended to include
Kauai
Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands.
It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauai lies 73 m ...
, placing all of the main
Hawaiian islands
The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
under some form of
tropical cyclone warning.
The potential for flooding also resulted in the issuance of a
flash flood watch
A flash flood watch ( SAME code: FFA; also referred as a "green box" by meteorologists) is severe weather watch product of the National Weather Service that is issued when conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas, usually ...
for the entirety the island chain.
By August 9, all warnings were lifted as Iselle no longer posed a threat to the islands.
In anticipation for the potential impacts of both Iselle and
Hurricane Julio The name Julio has been used for six tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
* Tropical Storm Julio (1984) – a weak storm with no impacts on land
* Hurricane Julio (1990) – a Category 3 hurricane with no impacts on land
* Tropical Sto ...
, Hawaii governor
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie is a ...
signed an emergency proclamation, thereby allocating resources to future relief and mitigation operations.
Maui County mayor
Alan Arakawa issued a
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
for his respective county.
Due to the impending threat of the storm, the heightened sense of urgency prompted residents to stock up on necessities.
Although no mandatory evacuation was planned, residents of low-lying areas in Hawaii County were requested to evacuate due to the threat of
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
and flooding.
Residents in coastal
Kau and
Puna districts were advised to take precautions and evacuate to higher ground if necessary.
The
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
urged boaters and mariners to exercise caution as waves were expected to reach in some offshore locations.
The Coast Guard also prepared to partially close ports in both Hawaii and Maui County.
In
Maui County
Maui County (), officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter ...
, the
Hawai'i Department of Education
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only state not on the North American mainland, th ...
ordered for the closure of all schools and the designation of some facilities as emergency shelters.
All public schools in Hawaii County were also closed by the department.
Both the
University of Hawaii
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
and the
Hawaii Community College closed their campuses during Iselle's passage.
The
Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is a part of the Government of Hawaii, Hawaii state government dedicated to managing, administering, and exercising control over public lands, water resources and streams, ocean waters, ...
closed all of its managed lands in Hawaii and Maui counties and closed some of its campgrounds and wilderness areas in Oahu and Kauai counties.
All state offices and courthouses in Hawaii County were closed with the retention of only essential staff.
Although
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ( ) is a commercial U.S. airline headquartered in Honolulu, and a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. It is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the island state of Hawaiʻi, and the tenth largest ...
did not cancel its flights, the company waived fees for passengers seeking to change from flights expected to service during Iselle's passage.
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...
and
Island Air later took the same accommodative measures.
The latter later cancelled all of its inter-Hawaiian flights on August 7, with the exception of flights serving
Kauai
Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands.
It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauai lies 73 m ...
;
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
and numerous other airlines would follow suit as the threat of Iselle neared.
The
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...
readied its resources in preparation for relief operations for Iselle in Hawaii.
Impact
Tropical storm-force winds affected much of the state as Iselle moved through, except
Niihau
Niihau (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the seventh largest island in Hawaii and the westernmost of the main islands. It is southwest of Kauai, Kauai across the Channels of the Hawaiian Islands#Kaulakahi Channel, Ka ...
, the rest of the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
all reporting gusts over . Hurricane-force winds were confined to
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea (, ; abbreviation for ''Mauna a Wākea''); is a dormant Shield volcano, shield volcano on the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii. Its peak is above sea level, making it the List of U.S. states by elevation, highest point in Hawaii a ...
on the Big Island, where a peak gust of was observed. Heavy rains affected most of the southern islands, with some areas of the Big Island seeing more than due to
orographic lift
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...
from the southerly flow on the backside of Iselle. The greatest total was at the
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, where was observed. Areas on the
leeward side of the island saw substantially less rain;
Kona International Airport
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole is the primary airport on the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaiʻi, located in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States. The airport serves leeward (western) Hawaii (island), ...
received only during the storm's passage. Kauai saw rains in excess of in several areas and a maximum of at a
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
station along the Kilohana Ridge. Totals peaked at to the north on Oahu, while Molokai and Lanai received generally negligible totals. Swells from hurricanes Iselle and Julio also produced waves along the eastern shores of the Hawaiian islands.

Iselle brought damaging surf along the east coast of the island. Strong winds unroofed homes near
Hilo
Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
and downed trees.
These winds also felled power lines, causing widespread outages impacting roughly 23,000 electricity customers.
A geothermal plant in Puna released toxic
hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is toxic, corrosive, and flammable. Trace amounts in ambient atmosphere have a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. Swedish chemist ...
gases upon losing its power sources, prompting officials to urge an exodus of the immediate area,
although a number of nearby residents reported health impacts.
A water treatment plant in
Kula on Maui also shut down due to power failure, prompting the conservation of water supplies in that area.
Iselle's winds also damaged about 1,000 coffee trees and over 2,000
macadamia
''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia—specifically, northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland. Two species of the genus are comm ...
trees. Damage was heaviest to the
papaya
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae, and also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within ...
crop, with about 60% of the statewide crop destroyed, accounting for $55 million in losses (2014
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
).
Other crops, including coffee, macadamia nuts, and flowers, were also damaged,
and overall crop losses in the state were estimated at $66 million. Only one known death took place as a direct result of the storm – a 19-year-old woman who was swept away by flood waters while hiking in a closed state park. Over 250 property owners reported damage, with at least 11 houses destroyed, and 28 with major damage.
Public damage and the cost to remove debris was estimated at $13.2 million.
Total monetary losses in the State of Hawaii range between $148 million and $325 million.
Due to the threat from Iselle,
lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
candidate Warner Sutton requested that Governor
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie is a ...
postpone the August 9
primary
Primary or primaries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Primary (band), from Australia
* Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea
* Primary Music, Israeli record label
Work ...
. The governor declined the request, and the primary election occurred as scheduled. However, the storm damaged roads leading to two polling stations on the Big Island, prompting officials to decide the election by
absentee ballot
Absentee or The Absentee may refer to:
* Absentee (band), a British band
* The Absentee, a novel by Maria Edgeworth, published in 1812 in ''Tales of Fashionable Life''
* ''The Absentee'' (1915 film), a 1915 American silent film directed by Christy ...
in those areas. After a close campaign between incumbent
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
Brian Schatz
Brian Emanuel Schatz ( ; born October 20, 1972) is an American educator and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Hawaii, a seat he has held since 2012. A member ...
and
Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, the
senate primary, held on the same day as the gubernatorial primary, was too close to call after Schatz led by only 1,635 votes. As a result, the election hinged on the two closed polling stations, where more than 8,000 people had the option to vote by mail. This was later changed to an in-person vote for August 15, despite a challenge from the Hanabusa campaign with regards to storm damage, and Schatz ultimately won. The Hawaii
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million.
T ...
later sued the state over how they handled the election.
Aftermath and records

After the storm,
Hawaiian Electric Industries worked to restore power across the Big Island, aided by trucks removing trees and debris from roads. By August 20, 99% of customers had their power restored, leaving 1,100 residents by 12 days after the storm. However, it took until September 11, or about five weeks after the storm, for all power to be restored. Post-storm surveys indicated that the damage from Iselle was mostly related to trees that were not native to the island, which weakened and snapped under the high winds. Residents across Hawaii donated over $80,000 after the storm to assist victims, organized through the Hawaii Island United Way. Local charities distributed of food to over 3,000 families.
The
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
(FEMA) completed a disaster survey of houses on August 19, a first step toward a federal disaster declaration. Due to the damage,
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard (; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving as the director of National Intelligence, director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She has held the rank of Lieutenant colonel (United Stat ...
remarked, "I'm urging FEMA, Hawaii County, the governor and President
Obama to expedite the process of declaring Iselle's devastation a natural disaster so that the people of Puna can receive immediate help." On August 25, Governor Abercrombie formally requested for federal assistance, after the state depleted its disaster fund,
but that was rejected by FEMA due to insufficient damage.
However,
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared an agriculture disaster, prompting the
Small Business Administration
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and str ...
to allow federal disaster loans to small businesses. The FEMA decision was reversed on September 12, when the federal government approved aid for rebuilding public buildings, as well as future disaster mitigation.
When Iselle made
landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on the
Big Island with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), it became the strongest tropical cyclone on record to hit the island, and
one of only three storms to hit the island at tropical storm intensity or higher, along with Tropical Storm Seven in
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the thir ...
, and
Tropical Storm Darby in
2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
. If Iselle had made landfall as a hurricane, it would have been the first hurricane to ever hit the Big Island. With estimated damage cost of $148 to 325 million (2014
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
), Iselle became the third-costliest tropical cyclone to ever hit the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
, even after accounting for inflation. The only tropical cyclones to cause more damage to the islands were
Iwa in
1982
Events
January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
, and
Iniki in
1992
1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General.
* January 6
** The Republ ...
.
In addition, Iselle was the third-strongest tropical cyclone to ever make landfall on the main Hawaiian islands after hurricanes
Dot and Iniki.
See also
*
Hurricane Gil (1983) – Skirted north of Hawaii, causing widespread power outages, gusty winds, and heavy rain
*
Hurricane Estelle (1986) – Passed south of Hawaii, produced high waves
*
Hurricane Daniel (2006) – Long-lived and annular hurricane whose remnants brought minor flooding to Hawaii
*
Tropical Storm Flossie (2013) – Tracked near the Hawaiian islands from the east, bringing stormy conditions
*
Hurricane Darby (2016) – Made landfall as a weaker tropical storm in the same area as Iselle, just two years later
*
Hurricane Olivia (2018) – Made landfall on the islands of
Maui
Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
and
Lanai as a tropical storm
Notes
References
External links
The National Hurricane Center's advisory archive for Hurricane IselleThe National Hurricane Center's graphics archive for Iselle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iselle (2014)
2014 Pacific hurricane season
Hurricanes in Hawaii
Category 4 Pacific hurricanes
2014 in Hawaii
Iselle