Hawaii, 1997

High Surf in Hawaii, January 30 to 31, 1997

January 30 to 31, 1997 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Several low pressure centers moving across the north central Pacific generated swell that produced surf of 8 to 12 feet with occasional sets to 15 feet along the north and west facing shores of the islands. m.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
4
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

Several low pressure centers moving across the north central Pacific generated swell that produced surf of 8 to 12 feet with occasional sets to 15 feet along the north and west facing shores of the islands. Four tourists, 3 from Georgia and 1 from Utah, drowned in the high surf at Keanae Point, Maui at approximately 2 p.m. HST January 30, 1997. One person was swept into the ocean while taking pictures of the high surf. He was pulled from the water and given CPR by a visiting paramedic. While performing CPR, a second wave swept both individuals and six other people into the ocean. Four of the eight people were rescued by local residents, while the other four drowned.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Island of Hawaii

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Island of Hawaii forecast zone
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kauai

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Kauai forecast zone
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Lanai

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Lanai forecast zone
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Maui

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Maui forecast zone
Deaths
4 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone

High Surf, Oahu

When
January 30, 8:00 AM HST to January 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
High Surf, Maui1997-01-3032MaleIn WaterDirect
High Surf, Maui1997-01-3050MaleIn WaterDirect
High Surf, Maui1997-01-3030MaleIn WaterDirect
High Surf, Maui1997-01-3033MaleIn WaterDirect

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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5626671, 5626672, 5626673, 5626674, 5626675, 5626676.