A significant fire catastrophe has impacted the community of Lahaina on Maui (Hawaii) which has resulted in a high death toll and much of the town in ruins.
The death toll is presently 53 at the time of writing which could easily increase.
Notwithstanding the impact of this catastrophe, a review of local weather conditions of this event and associated causes is of particular interest.
It is identified that the peak of the fire occurred during a period of strong to gale force winds with local weather stations recording peak wind gusts to 67 miles per hour (108 km/h). The National Weather Service weather station at Na Kula recorded such winds at 7.35 am on the morning of the 9 August.
Weather maps showed a strong high pressure area to the north and a powerful Category 4 Hurricane well to the south being Hurricane Dora. All the above would have contributed to the events that unfolded across the area.
It is also identified that the region is experiencing moderate to severe drought.
A tropical disturbance that formed west of Mexico has developed into a powerful Category 4 Hurricane which has been named “Dora”. This storm made its closest approach to Hawaii during the 8 and the 9 August and passing well to the south of the islands. As such, no direct impact to Hawaii occurred. During its closest approach, the small compact hurricane was sustaining peak wind gusts to 215 to 230 km/h. This is a long lived storm that will continue further west and expected to decay across open ocean in coming days.
The peak wind gusts occurring across Hawaii occurred as the storm was traveling further west and away from its closest approach to the islands.
The area is in drought. As shown in the 3D image from Google Earth Experimental (NASA EOSDIS - TERRA MODIS 2023), the coastal plain where the town lies is flat. The terrain to the north is rugged with significant mountains (Remnants of an ancient volcano). Satellite photos shows this area and the northern coast as being green but the coastal strip as having dried out significantly.
The image prepared on Zoom Earth “Fires” show the fire as being a localised event centred on the town of Lahaina and just to the south of Kaanapali. There are also 3 other separate fires to the west impacting the Kihei and Makawao areas but such fires have not been as destructive.
The image from “Earth Observatory” (OLI or Operational Land Imager) shows the outline of the fire at 10.25 pm on August 8 with most of the town on fire.
At the present time, search and rescue efforts are underway and continue. Hurricane Dora poses no further threat to the islands. It is likely that news items of this event will continue for some time.
Sources
- National Weather Service USA and Hawaii (Weather conditions and wind speeds).
- NASA (For various images attached).
- Earth Observatory (NASA) August 2023.