Alert archive / Hawaii / High Surf Warnings in 2016

High Surf Warning 2, NWS Honolulu, HI

January 9, 2016Honolulu County, Kauai County, Kalawao County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this high surf warning at Jan 9, 2016, 3:37 AM HST for Honolulu County, Kauai County, Kalawao County, Hawaii. It was in force for 60 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 9, 2016, 3:37 AM HST (13:37 UTC)
Expired
Jan 11, 2016, 3:26 PM HST
In force
60 hr
Issued by
NWS Honolulu, HI

Counties Honolulu County, HI, Kalawao County, HI, Kauai County, HI

The radar

The Molokai radar (PHMO), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:38 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, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 127 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 2016-01-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 26 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 2016-01-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 36 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
26 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
982 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
12 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

262 
WHHW40 PHFO 091337
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
337 AM HST SAT JAN 9 2016

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

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PEAK THIS EVENING THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...PRODUCING WARNING-
LEVEL SURF ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS EXPOSED
TO THE SWELL. SURF IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TREND DOWN LATE
SUNDAY THROUGH THE EARLY PORTION OF THE WEEK.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-100245-
/O.UPG.PHFO.SU.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-160110T0400Z/
/O.NEW.PHFO.SU.W.0002.160109T1337Z-160111T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
337 AM HST SAT JAN 9 2016

...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...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...10 TO 15 FEET THIS
  MORNING...RISING TO 25 TO 35 FEET AS EARLY AS THIS EVENING FOR
  KAUAI AND NIIHAU...THEN OVERNIGHT TONIGHT FOR OAHU MOLOKAI AND
  MAUI. SURF WILL THEN LOWER TO 18 TO 25 FEET BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
  ALONG WEST FACING SHORES...8 TO 12 FEET THIS MORNING...RISING TO
  18 TO 25 FEET AS EARLY AS THIS EVENING FOR KAUAI AND
  NIIHAU...THEN OVERNIGHT TONIGHT FOR OAHU AND MOLOKAI. SURF WILL
  THEN LOWER TO 10 TO 15 FEET BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING ACROSS
  BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS.
  BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS MAKING NAVIGATING
  THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS. SOME OVERWASH ONTO THE TYPICALLY
  VULNERABLE COASTAL LOCATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO A
  COMBINATION OF LARGE SURF AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL HIGH
  TIDES...ESPECIALLY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$

GIBBS
6 follow-up statements
893 
WHHW40 PHFO 100118
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
318 PM HST SAT JAN 9 2016

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

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PEAK TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...PRODUCING
WARNING LEVEL SURF ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS
EXPOSED TO THE SWELL. SURF IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TREND DOWN
LATE SUNDAY THROUGH THE EARLY PORTION OF THE WEEK.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-101430-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160111T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
318 PM HST SAT JAN 9 2016

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

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...20 TO 30 FEET LATER THIS
  EVENING FOR KAUAI AND NIIHAU...THEN SUNDAY MORNING FOR OAHU
  MOLOKAI AND MAUI. SURF WILL THEN LOWER TO 18 TO 25 FEET BY
  SUNDAY EVENING. ALONG WEST FACING SHORES...15 TO 20 FEET LATER
  THIS EVENING FOR KAUAI AND NIIHAU...THEN EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
  FOR OAHU AND MOLOKAI. SURF WILL THEN LOWER TO 10 TO 15 FEET BY
  SUNDAY EVENING.

* TIMING...THROUGH SUNDAY.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING 
  ACROSS BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP 
  CURRENTS. BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS 
  MAKING NAVIGATING THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS. SOME OVERWASH 
  ONTO THE TYPICALLY VULNERABLE COASTAL LOCATIONS WILL BE 
  POSSIBLE DUE TO A COMBINATION OF LARGE SURF AND SLIGHTLY 
  HIGHER THAN NORMAL HIGH TIDES...ESPECIALLY EARLY SUNDAY 
  MORNING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$

FOSTER
226 
WHHW40 PHFO 101322
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
322 AM HST SUN JAN 10 2016

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

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BRING WARNING LEVEL SURF ALONG
NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS EXPOSED TO THE SWELL
TODAY. SURF IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TREND DOWN TONIGHT THROUGH
THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEK.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-110230-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160111T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
322 AM HST SUN JAN 10 2016

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

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...20 TO 30 FEET...LOWERING TO
  18 TO 24 FEET TONIGHT. ALONG WEST FACING SHORES...15 TO 20
  FEET...SUBSIDING TO 10 TO 15 FEET TONIGHT.

* TIMING...THROUGH TODAY.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING ACROSS
  BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS.
  BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS MAKING NAVIGATING
  THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS. SOME OVERWASH ONTO THE TYPICALLY
  VULNERABLE COASTAL LOCATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO A
  COMBINATION OF LARGE SURF AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL HIGH
  TIDES...ESPECIALLY EARLY THIS MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$
892 
WHHW40 PHFO 110112
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
312 PM HST SUN JAN 10 2016

...HIGH SURF WARNING EXTENDED FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF
NIIHAU KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BRING WARNING LEVEL SURF ALONG
NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS EXPOSED TO THE SWELL
TONIGHT. SURF IS EXPECTED TO LOWER TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY MONDAY
MORNING.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-111415-
/O.EXT.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160111T1600Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
312 PM HST SUN JAN 10 2016

...HIGH SURF WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY...

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...20 TO 25 FEET. ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES...15 TO 20 FEET.

* TIMING...THROUGH TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING ACROSS
  BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS.
  BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS MAKING NAVIGATING
  THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$

FOSTER
907 
WHHW40 PHFO 111350
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
350 AM HST MON JAN 11 2016

...HIGH SURF WARNING EXTENDED FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF
NIIHAU KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE WARNING LEVEL
SURF ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS EXPOSED TO THE
SWELL THROUGH THE DAY TODAY BEFORE LOWERING. SURF IS EXPECTED TO
LOWER TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY TONIGHT.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-120300-
/O.EXT.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160112T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
350 AM HST MON JAN 11 2016

...HIGH SURF WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING...

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...18 TO 25 FEET. ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES...12 TO 20 FEET.

* TIMING...THROUGH TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING 
  ACROSS BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP 
  CURRENTS. BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS 
  MAKING NAVIGATING THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$
861 
WHHW40 PHFO 111352
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
352 AM HST MON JAN 11 2016

...HIGH SURF WARNING EXTENDED FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF
NIIHAU KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI...

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE WARNING LEVEL
SURF ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF ISLANDS EXPOSED TO THE
SWELL THROUGH THE DAY TODAY BEFORE LOWERING. SURF IS EXPECTED TO
LOWER TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY TONIGHT.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-120300-
/O.CON.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160112T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
352 AM HST MON JAN 11 2016

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

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...18 TO 25 FEET. ALONG WEST 
  FACING SHORES...12 TO 20 FEET. 

* TIMING...THROUGH TODAY.

* IMPACTS...HIGH...EXPECT OCEAN WATER OCCASIONALLY SWEEPING 
  ACROSS BEACHES...VERY STRONG BREAKING WAVES AND STRONG RIP 
  CURRENTS. BREAKING WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY IMPACT HARBORS 
  MAKING NAVIGATING THE HARBOR CHANNEL DANGEROUS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LARGE BREAKING SURF...SIGNIFICANT SHOREBREAK...AND DANGEROUS
CURRENTS MAKE ENTERING THE WATER VERY HAZARDOUS. ANYONE ENTERING
THE WATER COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. BEACHGOERS...
SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN BY OCEAN
SAFETY OFFICIALS.

&&

$$
373 
WHHW40 PHFO 120126
CFWHFO

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
326 PM HST MON JAN 11 2016

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

.A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PRODUCE ADVISORY LEVEL SURF HEIGHTS
ALONG MOST NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS
THROUGH TUESDAY.

HIZ001>003-006>008-012-013-017-020-121430-
/O.CAN.PHFO.SU.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160112T0400Z/
/O.NEW.PHFO.SU.Y.0003.160112T0126Z-160113T0400Z/
NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-
OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-
MAUI WINDWARD WEST-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-
326 PM HST MON JAN 11 2016

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST TUESDAY...
...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 TUESDAY. THE HIGH
SURF WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 

* SURF...ALONG NORTH FACING SHORES...16 TO 20 FEET. ALONG WEST
  FACING SHORES...10 TO 14 FEET.

* TIMING...THROUGH TUESDAY.

* IMPACTS...MODERATE...EXPECT STRONG BREAKING WAVES...SHORE
  BREAK...AND STRONG LONGSHORE AND RIP CURRENTS MAKING SWIMMING
  DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BEACHGOERS...SWIMMERS...AND SURFERS SHOULD HEED ALL ADVICE GIVEN
BY OCEAN SAFETY OFFICIALS AND EXERCISE CAUTION.

&&

$$

FOSTER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 8, 6:41 PM HSTWind AdvisoryHFOHawaii9 hr
Jan 9, 3:40 AM HSTHigh Wind WarningHFOHawaii17 hr

Nearby

High Surf Warnings in Hawaii, 2016Every high surf warning in 2016

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.