Hawaii, 2001

High Surf in Hawaii, February 16, 2001

February 16, 2001 · NWS HFO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong trade wind flow generated surf of 3 to 6 feet along the east shores of the island of Hawaii.

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.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

A strong trade wind flow generated surf of 3 to 6 feet along the east shores of the island of Hawaii.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Honolulu, HI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 16, 4:32 AM HST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 16, 4:32 AM HST, 3 hours 28 minutes before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND

...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WAKE TIME

A NEARLY STATIONARY SURFACE RIDGE ABOUT 350 NM TO THE NORTH WILL
MAINTAIN TRADE WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS. WEATHER WILL BE MOSTLY FAIR
TO PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED BRIEF PASSING SHOWERS. EASTERLY TRADE
WIND SWELL 6 FT.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When
February 16, 8:00 AM HST to 6:00 PM HST
Where
North and East Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, South Hawaii

When
February 16, 8:00 AM HST to 6:00 PM HST
Where
South Hawaii 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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, February 2001

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: 5232955, 5232956.