High Surf in Hawaii, May 1, 2001

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, May 1, 2001
Start: 2001-05-01T13:00
End: 2001-05-01T22:00
Location: Hawaii

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

A gale low northwest of the state generated surf of 8 to 10 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai and Oahu.

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.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
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Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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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 gale low northwest of the state generated surf of 8 to 10 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai and Oahu.

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 May 1, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST TUE MAY 1 2001

SUMMARY...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH WILL KEEP MODERATE
TRADE WINDS OVER THE ISLANDS. A FEW TRADE SHOWERS WILL FAVOR
WINDWARD AND MAUKA SECTIONS MAINLY AT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING.

DISCUSSION...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF HAWAII WILL GENERATE
MODERATE TRADEWINDS THIS WEEK. WIND SPEED MAY VARY SLIGHTLY FROM DAY
TO DAY BUT SHOULD STAY IN THE 10 TO 25 MPH RANGE. A WEAK MID LEVEL
LOW WHICH WAS SOUTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS YESTERDAY HAS SINCE MOVED
OVERHEAD. HIGH CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW HAVE MOVED NORTH AND
EAST OF THE STATE MAKING FOR A SUNNIER DAY. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO
HAVE LITTLE IF ANY EFFECT ON RAINFALL. PROGS KEEP THE LOW IN THE
AREA THEN MOVE IT OFF TO THE EAST FRIDAY.

SURF...THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL TRADE SWELL WILL LAST ONE OR TWO MORE
DAYS THEN DROP OFF. A SOUTH SWELL WHICH REACHED BY 28 ON THE EQUATOR
SOUTH OF HERE YESTERDAY WILL ARRIVE WEDNESDAY. SURF HEIGHTS MAY
REACH THE 6 FOOT THRESHOLD FOR A SOUTH SHORE HIGH SURF ADVISORY.
CRAIG.

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......NONEn
.         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

2 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When: May 1, 1:00 PM HST to 10:00 PM 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, Oahu

When: May 1, 1:00 PM HST to 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5244166, 5244167.