High Surf, Island of Hawaii
- When
- August 8, 7:00 AM HST to August 10, 5:00 AM HST
- Where
- Island of Hawaii forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf in Hawaii, August 8 to 10, 1997
Easterly swell was generated by Tropical Cyclone Guillermo when it was most intense some 2000 miles east of Hawaii. The swell produced surf of 6 to 8 feet with occasional sets to 10 feet along the east facing shores of the island from Upolu Point to Cape Kumukahi to South Point.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.
Easterly swell was generated by Tropical Cyclone Guillermo when it was most intense some 2000 miles east of Hawaii. The swell produced surf of 6 to 8 feet with occasional sets to 10 feet along the east facing shores of the island from Upolu Point to Cape Kumukahi to South Point. Observers in Orchidland reported surf heights to 10 feet.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Wildfire in California, August 8 to 16, 1997
- Flash Flood and Hail in Nevada, August 8, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Mississippi, August 8, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Arizona, August 8, 1997
- Funnel Clouds and Waterspout in Texas, August 8 to 29, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Florida, August 8, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Arizona, August 8, 1997
- Flash Flood and Heavy Rain in Texas, August 8 to 9, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Texas, August 8, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, August 8, 1997
- Heavy Rain in Texas, August 8 to 9, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, August 8, 1997
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, August 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5626333.