Hawaii, 2001

High Surf in Hawaii, May 1 to 2, 2001

May 1 to 2, 2001 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A trade wind swell produced surf of 6 to 8 feet along the east shores of all the islands except Lanai.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
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.

A trade wind swell produced surf of 6 to 8 feet along the east shores of all the islands except Lanai.

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 Apr 30, 7:58 PM HST, 4 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 7:58 PM HST, 4 hours 2 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST MON APR 30 2001

SUMMARY...SUNNIER SKIES ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR TUESDAY AS MOST OF
THE HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF THE STATE. MODERATE
TRADE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO MAINLY WINDWARD
AND MAUKA SECTIONS.

DISCUSSION...PROGS STILL MOVE THE SURFACE HIGH NORTHEAST OF HERE OFF
TOWARDS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...BUT FORECAST MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF
ON SLACKENING THE GRADIENT AND DROPPING THE WINDS BELOW THE PRESENT
10 TO 25 MPH. A WEAK MID LEVEL LOW SOUTH OF KAUAI WILL NOT MOVE MUCH
OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD...BUT THE HIGH AND MID-LEVEL CLOUDS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL THIN...ESPECIALLY OVER KAUAI AND OAHU
AND MOVE AWAY TO THE EAST AS THE LOW NEARS. FORECAST MODELS SUGGEST
THAT THE LOW WILL HAVE LITTLE IF ANY EFFECT ON THE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE FIELD. NORTHWEST SURF WILL RISE TO 4 TO 8 FEET THROUGH
TUESDAY. EAST FACING SHORES WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SOME SURF ABOVE 6
FEET. FARRELL

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......NONE
.         ADVISORIES...SMALL CRAFT
.                      HIGH SURF EAST SHORES

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 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, Maui

When
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 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
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 AM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 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
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 AM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When
May 1, 12:00 AM HST to May 2, 5:00 AM 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, May 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: 5244160, 5244161, 5244162, 5244163, 5244164, 5244165.