Hawaii, 1998

High Surf in Hawaii, August 23 to 25, 1998

August 23 to 25, 1998 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Storm low to the southeast of New Zealand caused surf of 3 to 6 feet along south shores of all Hawaiian islands.

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.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
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.

Storm low to the southeast of New Zealand caused surf of 3 to 6 feet along south shores of all Hawaiian islands.

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
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Island of Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kauai

When
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Kauai forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Lanai

When
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Lanai forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Maui

When
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Maui forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai

When
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

High Surf, Oahu

When
August 23, 11:00 AM HST to August 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, August 1998

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: 5676649, 5676650, 5676651, 5676652, 5676653, 5676654.