High Surf, Kauai
- When
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM 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 in Hawaii, January 15 to 20, 2001
A powerful western Pacific storm low generated surf of 15 to 20 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of all the islands. Kauai beaches west of the Hanalei lifeguard station were again closed, this time on the 17th and 18th, due to the dangerously high surf conditions.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
- 7
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 powerful western Pacific storm low generated surf of 15 to 20 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of all the islands. Kauai beaches west of the Hanalei lifeguard station were again closed, this time on the 17th and 18th, due to the dangerously high surf conditions.
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 Jan 15, 10:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 10:00 AM HST, 2 hours before
AFDHI HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 10 AM HST MON JAN 15 2001 SUMMARY...LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEK. ISLAND SKIES WILL BE CLEAR EXCEPT FOR ISOLATED TRADE SHOWERS ARRIVING MAINLY AT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING. DISCUSSION...WITH A SURFACE RIDGE JUST NORTH OF THE ISLANDS AND A MID LEVEL RIDGE MOVING OVER THE ISLANDS FROM THE WEST...WE WILL SEE LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADES AND MOSTLY SUNNY AND CLEAR SKIES. ONLY A FEW TRADE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK MONDAY FOR ANY CHANGE IN OUR WEATHER. NAMELY...STRONG AND GUSTY TRADES AS AN EASTWARD MOVING SURFACE HIGH PASSES NORTH OF THE STATE. SURF...THE PRESENT NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BE OUT DONE BY AN EVEN LARGER SWELL THAT WILL ALSO REQUIRE A HIGH SURF ADVISORY. CRAIG. .PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE . WATCHES......NONE . ADVISORIES...HIGH StURF NW SHORES
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
7 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Lanai
- When
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM 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
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM 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
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, North and East Hawaii
- When
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM 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, Oahu
- When
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM HST
- Where
- Oahu forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, West Hawaii
- When
- January 15, 12:00 PM HST to January 20, 4:00 AM HST
- Where
- West Hawaii forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Winter Storm in Colorado, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Heavy Snow in Maine, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Weather in Vermont, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Storm in Arizona, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Storm in Colorado, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Storm in Arizona, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Storm in Arizona, January 15 to 16, 2001
- Winter Storm in Arizona, January 15 to 16, 2001
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5227591, 5227592, 5227593, 5227594, 5227595, 5227596, 5227597.