Hawaii, 2001

High Surf in Hawaii, January 4 to 6, 2001

January 4 to 6, 2001 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A deep storm low well northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 15 to 18 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores and 6 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of all the islands.

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

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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 deep storm low well northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 15 to 18 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores and 6 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of all the islands.

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 4, 3:22 AM HST, 5 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 3:22 AM HST, 5 hours 38 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 AM HST THU JAN 4 2001

SUMMARY...GENERALLY DRY AND LIGHT WIND PATTERN THRU THE WEEK END.

DISCUSSION...THE PROXIMITY OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE NEAR THE ISLANDS
WILL BE THE CONTROLLING FEATURE FOR ISLAND WEATHER. AT THE SURFACE
IT WILL KEEP WINDS LIGHT AND ALOFT IT SHOULD PROVIDE STABILITY.
THE ONLY SPOILER TO CLEAR SKIES IS THE STILL PERSISTENT MOISTURE
LEFTOVER FROM THE OLD FRONT. DESPITE THE LOW 5000 FOOT TEMPERATURE
INVERSIONS THIS MORNING THERE ARE STILL A FEW SHOWERS OFFSHORE OF
OAHU..THIS SUGGESTS ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS ARE STILL A
POSSIBILITY FOR OAHU TODAY. OTHERWISE DRY TREND QUITE INTACT.
MODERATE TRADE WINDS NOT DUE TO RETURN UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK.
MATSUDA

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......NONE
.         ADVISORIES...HI SURF NORTHWEST FACING SHORES ISSUED AT 4 AM

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 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, Lanai

When
January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 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 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 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 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 AM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When
January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 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 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 AM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When
January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 6, 2:00 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

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: 5229481, 5229482, 5229483, 5229484, 5229485, 5229486, 5229487.