High Surf, Oahu
- When
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM HST
- Where
- Oahu forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
High Surf in Hawaii, February 16 to 18, 1999
An intense storm south and east of New Zealand caused surf of 6 to 10 feet along south shores of all Hawaiian Islands. The New Zealand storm on 10 February had 50-knot winds and was 5,400 miles south of Hawaii, moving from Antarctica toward South America.
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.
An intense storm south and east of New Zealand caused surf of 6 to 10 feet along south shores of all Hawaiian Islands. The New Zealand storm on 10 February had 50-knot winds and was 5,400 miles south of Hawaii, moving from Antarctica toward South America. On Oahu, high surf tore loose a navigational buoy marking the Ala Wai Boat Harbor channel. Lifeguards reported 20 rescues-mostly in the Waikiki area. A veteran surfer at Black Point reported that he was among about 25 surfers that were riding waves up to 20 feet on the morning of 16 February.
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, Island of Hawaii
- When
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM 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
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM 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
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM 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
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM 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
- February 16, 3:00 AM HST to February 18, 8:30 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai 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
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Flooding in Oregon, February 16, 1999
- High Surf in Hawaii, February 16 to 19, 1999
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Heavy Rain in American Samoa, February 16, 1999
- High Wind in American Samoa, February 16 to 19, 1999
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Hail in Oklahoma, February 16, 1999
- Flooding in California, February 16 to 17, 1999
- Flood in Washington, February 16, 1999
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, February 1999
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: 5688925, 5688926, 5688927, 5688928, 5688929, 5688930.