Alert archive / Hawaii / High Surf Warnings in 2012

High Surf Warning 2, NWS Honolulu, HI

January 28, 2012Honolulu County, Kauai County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this high surf warning at Jan 28, 2012, 7:29 AM HST for Honolulu County, Kauai County, Hawaii. It was in force for 20 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 28, 2012, 7:29 AM HST (17:29 UTC)
Expired
Jan 29, 2012, 3:38 AM HST
In force
20 hr
Issued by
NWS Honolulu, HI

Counties Honolulu County, HI, Kauai County, HI

The radar

The South Kauai radar (PHKI), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Lihue, (PHLI), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 60 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lihue, at 12:00Z on 2012-01-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 92 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lihue, at 12:00Z on 2012-01-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -8 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
92 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
535 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-13 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

561 
WHHW40 PHFO 281729
CFWHFO

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
729 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
AND KAUAI AND HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES
OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI AND WEST
FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND...

.SWELL AT BUOY 51101 HAS BEEN BIGGER THAN FORECAST...SO WE HAVE
UPGRADED THE ADVISORY TO A WARNING FOR KAUAI COUNTY...AND EXTENDED
THE ADVISORY TO INCLUDE WEST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND. THE
VERY LARGE SURF WILL BE FAIRLY SHORT-LIVED...SO THE ADVISORY WILL
PROBABLY BE DOWNGRADED BACK TO AN ADVISORY FOR KAUAI COUNTY BEFORE
THE END OF THIS EVENT.

HIZ001>003-290530-
/O.UPG.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
/O.NEW.PHFO.SU.W.0002.120128T1729Z-120130T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-
729 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY. THIS HIGH SURF
WARNING REPLACES THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY WHICH HAD BEEN IN EFFECT.

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BE 20 TO 25 FT ALONG NORTH AND WEST
  FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU AND KAUAI..

* TIMING...SURF WILL BUILD TODAY...REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH
  TONIGHT...THEN WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE ON SUNDAY.

&&

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SWELL. STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE IN
THE AFFECTED AREAS.

&&

$$

HIZ023-290530-
/O.EXA.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
KONA-
729 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BUILD TO HEIGHTS OF 8 TO 12 FT.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN 
  WILL GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$

HIZ006>008-012-013-017-019-020-290530-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-
MOLOKAI LEEWARD-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-
WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
729 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BUILD TO HEIGHTS OF 18 TO 22 FT ALONG
  NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU MOLOKAI AND MAUI...AND 10 TO 15 FT
  ALONG WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL 
  GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$
DONALDSON
3 follow-up statements
973 
WHHW40 PHFO 282000
CFWHFO

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
AND KAUAI AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU...NORTH AND
WEST FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI...NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...AND
WEST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND...

.SWELL AT THE WAIMEA BUOY HAS REACHED 12 FT SO WE HAVE EXTENDED
THE WARNING TO INCLUDE THE NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU. THE VERY
LARGE SURF WILL BE FAIRLY SHORT-LIVED...SO THE WARNING WILL
PROBABLY BE DOWNGRADED BACK TO AN ADVISORY FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND
OAHU BEFORE THE END OF THIS EVENT.

HIZ007-008-290900-
/O.UPG.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
/O.EXA.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-
1000 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY. THE HIGH SURF
ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BUILD TO HEIGHTS OF 20 TO 25 FT ALONG
  NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL
  GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SWELL. STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE IN
THE AFFECTED AREAS.

&&

$$

HIZ001>003-290900-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-
1000 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BE 20 TO 25 FT ALONG NORTH AND WEST 
  FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU AND KAUAI.. 

* TIMING...SURF WILL BUILD TODAY...REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH 
  TONIGHT...THEN WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE ON SUNDAY. 

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SWELL. STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE IN
THE AFFECTED AREAS.

&&

$$

HIZ006-012-013-017-019-020-023-290900-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
WAIANAE COAST-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-
MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-
1000 AM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BUILD TO HEIGHTS OF 18 TO 22 FT ALONG
  NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU MOLOKAI AND MAUI...AND 10 TO 15 FT
  ALONG WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL 
  GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$
997 
WHHW40 PHFO 290132
CFWHFO

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
332 PM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
AND KAUAI AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU... ...HIGH SURF
ADVISORY FOR WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU...NORTH AND WEST FACING
SHORES OF MOLOKAI...NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...AND WEST FACING
SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND...

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL CONTINUES TO ROLL IN TO THE ISLANDS. THE VERY
LARGE SURF WILL BE FAIRLY SHORT-LIVED...SO THE WARNING WILL PROBABLY
BE DOWNGRADED BACK TO AN ADVISORY FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND OAHU BEFORE
THE END OF THIS EVENT.

HIZ001>003-007-008-291430-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-
332 PM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BE 20 TO 25 FT ALONG NORTH AND WEST
  FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU AND KAUAI AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF
  OAHU.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL 
  GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SWELL. STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE IN
THE AFFECTED AREAS.

&&

$$

HIZ006-012-013-017-019-020-023-291430-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
WAIANAE COAST-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-
MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-
332 PM HST SAT JAN 28 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY...

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL BE 18 TO 22 FT ALONG NORTH FACING
  SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI...10 TO 15 FT ALONG WEST FACING
  SHORES OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI AND 6 TO 8 FT ALONG WEST FACING
  SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII.

* TIMING...SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH TONIGHT...THEN WILL 
  GRADUALLY LOWER ON SUNDAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$
DONALDSON
237 
WHHW40 PHFO 291338
CFWHFO

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
338 AM HST SUN JAN 29 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
AND KAUAI...NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF OAHU...NORTH AND WEST
FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI...NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...AND WEST
FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND...

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL DIMINISHED OVERNIGHT AND INTO THIS
MORNING. THE LARGEST SURF WAS SHORT-LIVED...SO THE WARNING HAS
BEEN DOWNGRADED TO AN ADVISORY FOR KAUAI COUNTY AND OAHU BEFORE
THE END OF THE EVENT. HOWEVER...SURF IN AFFECTED AREAS WILL REMAIN
LARGE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN ADVISORY
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

HIZ001>003-007-008-300245-
/O.CAN.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
/O.EXA.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-
338 AM HST SUN JAN 29 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH SURF WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING. THE
HIGH SURF WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL REACH HEIGHTS OF 18 TO 22 FT ALONG
  NORTH-FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI...10 TO 15 FT ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI AND 6 TO 8 FT ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. 

* TIMING...SURF WILL DIMINISH GRADUALLY TODAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$

HIZ006-012-013-017-019-020-023-300245-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-120130T0400Z/
WAIANAE COAST-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-
MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-
338 AM HST SUN JAN 29 2012

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING. 

* SURF...BREAKING WAVES WILL REACH HEIGHTS OF 18 TO 22 FT ALONG
  NORTH-FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI...10 TO 15 FT ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES OF OAHU AND MOLOKAI AND 6 TO 8 FT ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. 

* TIMING...SURF WILL DIMINISH GRADUALLY TODAY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY WELL AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE IN THE AFFECTED AREA.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Honolulu, HI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 27, 3:30 PM HSTSmall Craft AdvisoryHFO5 days
Jan 27, 3:31 PM HSTHigh Surf AdvisoryHFOHawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Kalawao42 hr
Jan 28, 10:10 AM HSTFire Weather WatchHFO6 hr

Nearby

High Surf Warnings in Hawaii, 2012Every high surf warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.