See it: Tropical Storm Hone barrels by Hawaii bringing angry waves, flooding
Dangerous surf pounded south-facing shores on the Big Island, where Hone passed just to the south. Rainfall totals quickly surpassed a foot in many places on the Big Island.
Hurricane Hone blasts Big Island with big surf, flooding
Rough surf created by Hurricane Hone passing south of the Big Island creates tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u.
HILO, Hawaii – As the sun came up on the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday, the full force of then-Hurricane Hone's impacts was felt across the Big Island.
By Monday morning, Hone continued to weaken and is now a strong tropical storm after it blasted the Big Island with flooding rain, damaging winds and dangerous waves that battered the coastline over the weekend as a Category 1 hurricane.
As Hone moved past the Big Island on Sunday afternoon, more than 21,000 utility customers were without power, most of which were reported on the Big Island. Outage numbers rose on Maui and Honolulu as dangerous surf pounded south-facing shores on the Big Island, where Hone passed just to the south.
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Tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u on the southeast-facing shore quickly formed around 4 a.m. Sunday, and beach access was closed due to the dangerous surf. Later in the day, FOX Weather photojournalists captured big waves continuing to pound Pāhoa, sending big splashes of sea spray up onto the rocky shores.
![Flooding in Pahala, Hawaii from Hurricane Hone on Aug. 25, 2024.]()
Image 1 of 8Flooding in Pahala, Hawaii from Hurricane Hone on Aug. 25, 2024. (Jarrod Maloney/FOX Weather)
![Rough surf and large waves are seen in Hawaii as Hurricane Hone spins to the south of the Big Island.]()
Image 2 of 8Rough surf and large waves are seen in Hawaii as Hurricane Hone spins to the south of the Big Island. (Robert Ray/FOX Weather)
![Rough surf and large waves are seen in Hawaii as Hurricane Hone spins to the south of the Big Island.]()
Image 3 of 8Rough surf and large waves are seen in Hawaii as Hurricane Hone spins to the south of the Big Island. (Robert Ray/FOX Weather)
![This image shows a park closed sign as large waves kicked up by Hurricane Hone along the Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u on Hawaii's Big Island on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.]()
Image 4 of 8This image shows a park closed sign as large waves kicked up by Hurricane Hone along the Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u on Hawaii's Big Island on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (FOX Weather)
![Rough surf created by Hurricane Hone passing south of the Big Island creates tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u.]()
Image 5 of 8Rough surf created by Hurricane Hone passing south of the Big Island creates tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u. (Jarrod Maloney/FOX Weather)
![Rough surf created by Hurricane Hone passing south of the Big Island creates tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u.]()
Image 6 of 8Rough surf created by Hurricane Hone passing south of the Big Island creates tide pools at Black Sand Beach in Punalu'u. (Jarrod Maloney/FOX Weather)
![Flooding in Eden Roc, Hawaii on Aug. 25, 2024 after Hurricane Hone passed the Big Island.]()
Image 7 of 8Flooding in Eden Roc, Hawaii on Aug. 25, 2024 after Hurricane Hone passed the Big Island. (FOX Weather)
![Hawaii Department of Transportation crews clear debris from a landslide on Hana Highway near Upper Waikani Falls on Maui on Aug. 25, 2024.]()
Image 8 of 8Hawaii Department of Transportation crews clear debris from a landslide on Hana Highway near Upper Waikani Falls on Maui on Aug. 25, 2024. (Hawaii DOT)
As Hone passed less than 50 miles south of the Big Island with 85-mph winds, the storm dropped tons of rain across the islands. Rainfall totals quickly surpassed a foot in many places on the Big Island, including Hakalau, with more than 18 inches, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Big waves off the coast of Pahoa, Hawaii on Aug. 25, 2024 after Hurricane Hone moved away from the island.
(Jarrod Maloney/FOX Weather)
A video by FOX Weather showed water rushing along access roads in Pahala, Hawaii. According to county police, the water had overtopped at least three sections of Hawaii Belt Road (Route 11), which circles the Big Island.
Hurricane Hone drops torrential rain causing flooding in Pahala, Hawaii
Video shows rushing floodwater in Pahala on the Big Island as Hurricane Hone passes south of Hawaii on Aug. 25, 2024.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation reported multiple road closures on the Big Island due to flooding, downed trees and road damage, including Highway 11 in Ka'u, Naalehu and Milolii.
Hawaii Department of Transportation crews clear debris from a landslide on Hana Highway near Upper Waikani Falls on Maui on Aug. 25, 2024.
(Hawaii DOT)
DOT crews were also busy responding to Tropical Storm Hone's impacts across other islands, including Maui, where a landslide temporarily closed part of Hana Highway on Sunday morning.
There was some beauty behind Hone's angry waves and flooding. After the worst of the storm passed, hikers witnessed the powerful raging Rainbow Waterfall in Hilo, made even more intense by the torrential rains.
Rainbow Falls in Hilo, Hawaii after Hurricane Hone
Powerful beauty after Hurricane Hone's torrential rainfall, as onlookers watch Rainbow Falls in Hilo, Hawaii on Aug. 25, 2024.
While the falls were missing the signature rainbow, visitors noted that just last week, they were a "trickle." According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Hawaii is under at least moderate drought conditions, with extreme drought on parts of the Big Island and Maui.