2018 Eastern Pacific hurricane season
Hurricane Lane 2018
Lane stayed offshore but brought extraordinary rain to Hawaii during a slow northward turn. Its weakening winds did not prevent severe flooding and landslides across the islands.
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161 mph
Aug 22, 2018 during the tropical stage
Full archive record, including non-tropical stages if present
Along the recorded center positions
STORM HISTORY
Strengthening south of Hawaii
Lane developed southwest of Mexico in August and moved westward across the Pacific. It reached an initial Category 4 peak, weakened briefly and then strengthened again. Archived sustained winds reached 140 knots early on August 22, placing it at Category 5 strength south of Hawaii.
The hurricane turned north and slowed while unfavorable conditions began weakening its circulation. Hurricane watches and warnings covered every Hawaiian island during the approach. Lane eventually weakened to a depression and dissipated on August 29.
Exceptional rainfall and inland flooding
Rainfall reached 58 inches, about 1,473 millimeters, on the eastern slopes of Mauna Kea. Flooding was particularly severe around Hilo, and 159 structures on the Big Island were damaged or destroyed. Landslides and floodwaters also damaged roads across the state.
Strong winds downed trees and power lines on Maui, while brush fires affected Maui and Oahu. One person died on Kauai. Economic losses exceeded US$250 million in 2018 dollars, despite the hurricane never making landfall.
IMPACT
Reported impact
| Deaths | 1 |
|---|---|
| Areas affected | United States |
Further reading
NOAA IBTrACS v04r01 historical track archive
Wikipedia, Hurricane Lane (2018)
Official report (PDF) — National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report.
QUICK ANSWERS
Lane in brief
What was Hurricane Lane's highest wind speed?
161 mph, the highest one-minute sustained wind in its tropical stage, recorded on Aug 22, 2018, 12:00 AM UTC.
What category was Hurricane Lane?
Category 5 at its peak on the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale, first reaching Category 5 on Aug 22, 2018, 12:00 AM UTC. Other agencies classify storms differently.
What was Hurricane Lane's lowest pressure?
926 mb, the minimum central pressure recorded during its tropical stage, on Aug 22, 2018, 06:00 AM UTC.
When did Hurricane Lane occur?
The archived track runs from Aug 13, 2018, 12:00 PM UTC to Aug 29, 2018, 06:00 AM UTC, with the tropical stage from Aug 15, 2018, 12:00 AM UTC to Aug 28, 2018, 09:00 PM UTC.
Where did Hurricane Lane form?
In the Eastern Pacific basin, in the 2018 season. Its first archived position is 10.9°N, 114.7°W on Aug 13, 2018, 12:00 PM UTC.
Did Hurricane Lane make landfall?
No archived position places Hurricane Lane's center over land, but positions are six-hourly and a brief landfall can fall between them.
How many people died in Hurricane Lane?
1 deaths are recorded by Wikidata.
METHODOLOGY
Data sources and limitations
The map and summary are generated from NOAA's IBTrACS v04r01 archive. Wind and category use US-agency records; minimum pressure is calculated during the tropical stage, with the archive's pressure source retained. Category 5 refers to the Saffir–Simpson one-minute wind scale; local agencies may use different classifications. Coastlines use Natural Earth's 1:10m land data.
Track distance adds great-circle distances between consecutive observations, excluding gaps over 12 hours. This track has no gaps over 12 hours. The line shows the storm's center, not its size, rainfall or flood extent. Converted wind speeds are rounded to the nearest whole unit.
Archive retrieved
NOAA IBTrACS archive and Field documentation
Sources & methodology