High Surf, Island of Hawaii
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Island of Hawaii forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf in Hawaii, December 4 to 7, 1998
Strong high north of the state produced large westward-moving swells that generated surf of 6 to 12 feet on east shores of all the islands. The high surf forced Big Island officials to close three beaches near Hilo on 4 Dec.
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
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.
Strong high north of the state produced large westward-moving swells that generated surf of 6 to 12 feet on east shores of all the islands. The high surf forced Big Island officials to close three beaches near Hilo on 4 Dec.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf, Lanai
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Lanai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf, Maui
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf, Molokai
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Oahu
- When
- December 4, 10:00 AM HST to December 7, 3:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
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
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 4 to 11, 1998
- Winter Storm in Utah, December 4, 1998
- Dense Fog in Florida, December 4, 1998
- Heavy Snow in Montana, December 4, 1998
- Heavy Snow in California, December 4 to 6, 1998
- Heavy Snow in North Dakota, December 4, 1998
- High Surf in California, December 4 to 5, 1998
- Heat in Arkansas, December 4 to 5, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Mississippi, December 4, 1998
- Cold in California, December 4, 1998
- Heat in Rhode Island, December 4, 1998
- Heat in Georgia, December 4, 1998
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, December 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: 5675402, 5675403, 5675404, 5675405, 5675406, 5675407.