The North Shore of Oahu and Kauai have been hit by some of the wildest flash floods in a long time. Photos: YouTube//Screenshot
When it rains in Hawaii, it pours. It’s generally a pleasant thing, though – not a driving, freezing rain, but a warm and cleansing one. But recently, it poured even more than usual. But it’s not just the rain that’s getting North Shore residents like Nate Florence down. It’s the swell, too.
“Every once in a while we get some crazy rain in Hawaii,” Nate Florence said from inside his truck. “It’s not surprising because it’s a tropical place. This February is probably the worst February for waves I’ve ever seen. Tons of ENE swell and super strong trade winds which come from the east… mix those super strong trades with super ENE swell, and you just get all the sand pushed back to where it was pre-winter… so not only has it been pretty bad conditions, but it’s become like a massive, every day rain, rain, rain.”
Tons of rain means a few things: flash flooding, for one. Also, the many smaller creeks and rivers that are generally dry fill up when there’s enough water. And that means that years of sediment flows into the ocean, creating near-zero visibility in the water.
That’s bad because all that sediment and pollution can wreak havoc on the body. Ear, sinus and eye infections are far more likely, and, according to Nate, all that churned up water makes the tiger sharks more active. “A lot of shark attacks can occur when the ocean is like that,” Nate explained.
It’s not just Oahu, either. Kauai is in the midst of a flooding event that’s paralyzing the communities. The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Kauai and Oahu early Saturday Feb. 21, 2026 that are still in effect as of this writing.
Thankfully, the worst appears to be over and the weather forecasts are calling for a reprieve, but it will take time for the communities affected to recover, and the reefs to rebound from the influx of rain, sediment, and pollution.
