Satellite image captures twin hurricanes bearing down on Hawaii

2016 photo shows hurricanes Madeline and Lester approaching the island state; neither made landfall

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published27 October 2026

Read Time2 min

A striking satellite image from 2016 shows two hurricanes, Madeline and Lester, barreling toward Hawaii, their swirling clouds forming what appears to be a grinning face in space. Despite initial fears, the pair of storms missed the islands, highlighting Hawaii's long-standing luck in avoiding direct hurricane hits.

The image, captured on Aug. 29, 2016, by the Suomi NPP satellite, shows Hurricane Madeline on the left and Hurricane Lester on the right, both tracking toward Hawaii with apparent symmetry. At the time, Madeline was just under 400 miles from the Big Island, while Lester trailed about 900 miles behind, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

Madeline peaked as a Category 4 storm on Aug. 30 with winds up to 130 mph, while Lester briefly reached Category 4 on Sept. 1 before weakening. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued a warning that Madeline would pass "dangerously close" to the Big Island, but neither storm made landfall. Madeline passed south of Hawaii on Aug. 31 as a Category 1 storm, and Lester passed north of the Big Island on Sept. 2, coming within 130 miles of Honolulu before turning north and dissipating.

Hawaii's relative immunity to hurricanes stems from two persistent factors: a near-constant area of high pressure to the east, where most storms approach, and strong eastward winds that together form an invisible shield, according to FOX Weather. However, recent observations suggest this protection may not last. In 2025, Hurricane Kiko similarly approached but veered away. In August and September of the same year, hurricanes Lowell and Lala skimmed unusually close to the island of Kauai, damaging power lines and coastal infrastructure. Researchers point to the ongoing "super" El Niño, which began in May and has driven record sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, as a possible factor behind these close calls, per The Guardian.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

Hawaii often escapes direct hurricane hits due to a natural barrier, but climate change and El Niño may be eroding that shield, increasing risk to the islands.
The 2016 twin-storm image illustrates both the power of Pacific hurricanes and the difficulty of predicting their exact paths.
Satellite imagery remains critical for tracking and warning populations about approaching storms.

Background

Hawaii sits in a corridor where many Pacific hurricanes form, yet the islands have historically been spared the worst. A combination of high-pressure systems and persistent eastward winds creates a protective buffer. The 2016 Pacific hurricane season was one of the most active on record, tied for sixth-most-active with 22 named storms. Madeline and Lester were the 14th and 13th named storms that year. In 2025, renewed activity, including hurricanes Kiko, Lowell and Lala, has raised concerns that changing climate patterns could lead to more direct impacts.

What to Watch

Whether the ongoing super El Niño continues to fuel more powerful hurricanes near Hawaii in the coming seasons.
Signs that the high-pressure shield east of the islands may weaken or shift, leaving the state more exposed.
Future satellite observations and forecast model changes that might improve prediction of storm tracks in the central Pacific.

Sources

Twin hurricanes stare out to space as they barrel toward Hawaii · Live Science

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.

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SupportedThe headline says a satellite image captures two hurricanes bearing down on Hawaii.Latest from Live Science: “This eye-catching satellite snap from a decade ago shows a pair of hurricanes barreling toward Hawaii.”
SupportedThe 2016 photo shows Madeline and Lester, whose clouds look like a smiling face.Latest from Live Science: “The clouds swirling around the twin cyclones make them look eerily like the eyes of a pale face smiling up at space.”
SupportedNeither hurricane made landfall.Latest from Live Science: “However, neither storm ended up making landfall.”
SupportedThe image was taken Aug. 29, 2016, by Suomi NPP, with Madeline on the left and Lester on the right.Latest from Live Science: “Which satellite took the photo? Suomi NPP When was it taken? Aug. 29, 2016”
Partly supportedMadeline was just under 400 miles from the Big Island and Lester around 900 miles behind “at the time.”Latest from Live Science: “On Aug. 30, the day after the image was taken, Madeline was just under 400 miles (650 kilometers) from Hawaii's Big Island, while Lester was around 900 miles (1,450 km) behind on the same trajectory”
SupportedMadeline peaked as a Category 4 on Aug. 30 with maximum winds around 130 mph.Latest from Live Science: “Madeline peaked as a Category 4 storm on Aug. 30, reaching maximum wind speeds of around 130 mph (210 km/h).”
SupportedLester briefly became a Category 4 on Sept. 1 before weakening.Latest from Live Science: “Lester also briefly became a Category 4 storm on Sept. 1, reaching a maximum speed just below Madeline's, but it quickly weakened to Category 3.”
SupportedThe Central Pacific Hurricane Center warned that Madeline would pass “dangerously close” to the Big Island.Latest from Live Science: “The Central Pacific Hurricane Center later issued a hurricane warning for the state of Hawaii, saying that Madeline, in particular, would pass "dangerously close to the Big Island,"”
SupportedMadeline passed south of Hawaii on Aug. 31 as a Category 1 storm.Latest from Live Science: “Madeline eventually passed south of Hawaii on Aug. 31. However, by then, it had been downgraded to Category 1.”
SupportedLester passed north of the Big Island on Sept. 2, came within about 130 miles of Honolulu, then turned north and petered out.Latest from Live Science: “Lester passed north of the Big Island on Sept. 2 and came within around 130 miles (210 km) of Honolulu, before sharply turning northward, where it petered out.”
SupportedHigh pressure east of Hawaii and winds blowing eastward across the islands help shield Hawaii from hurricanes.Latest from Live Science: “First, the islands are surrounded by a near-constant area of high pressure on their eastern side, where most hurricanes come from. Second, strong winds often blow eastward across the islands”
SupportedIn 2025, Hurricane Kiko approached Hawaii but changed course and weakened.Latest from Live Science: “For example, in 2025, Hurricane Kiko was similarly spotted from space bearing down on the island state. But like Madeline and Lester, it suddenly changed course and weakened at the last minute.”