Hawaii, 2001

High Surf in Hawaii, November 8 to 9, 2001

November 8 to 9, 2001 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A deep storm low far northwest of the state produced surf of 15 to 25 feet , with some sets as high as 30 feet, along the north- and northwest-facing shores of all the islands. M.

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.

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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
1
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 far northwest of the state produced surf of 15 to 25 feet , with some sets as high as 30 feet, along the north- and northwest-facing shores of all the islands. A woman was swept out to sea by the pounding surf on the north shore of Oahu around 1 P.M. on the 8th, and she presumably drowned.

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 Nov 8, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 8, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 AM HST THU NOV 8 2001

SUMMARY...A WEAK LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL MOVE AWAY FROM HAWAII
TODAY. THIS WILL ALLOW DRIER AIR TO GRADUALLY OVERSPREAD THE
ISLANDS STARTING THIS AFTERNOON. YOU CAN EXPECT FEWER SHOWERS AND
MORE SUNSHINE TO FINISH OUT THE WORK WEEK. PLEASANT TRADE WIND
WEATHER SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND.

DISCUSSION...SATELLITE SHOWS THE SUBTROPICAL JET STREAM CONTINUES TO
BRING A LAYER OF HIGH CLOUDINESS TO MOST OF THE STATE EARLY THIS
MORNING. THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THIS CLOUDINESS IS NEAR KAUAI. THE
CYCLONIC ROTATION OF THE LOW CLOUD FIELD WEST OF KAUAI MAY REFLECT
THE POSITION OF THE SURFACE TROUGH WHICH KEPT OUR WEATHER RATHER
GLOOMY THE PAST 24 HOURS.

WITH THE TROUGH OVER THE ISLANDS YESTERDAY...THE WINDS WERE A LITTLE
WEAKER THAN USUAL. THE MODELS SHOW THE TRADE WINDS PICKING BACK UP A
NOTCH TODAY AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT REESTABLISHES ITSELF OVER
HAWAII. THEY ALSO SHOW MUCH DRIER AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS PUSHING
BACK OVER THE ISLANDS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO
FORECAST IMPROVING WEATHER WITH LESS SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST. EVEN
DRIER AIR IS SHOWN ARRIVING THIS WEEKEND.

MEANWHILE...THE SUBTROPICAL JET...WHICH HAS BEEN BRINGING ITCZ
MOISTURE UP FROM THE SOUTHWEST...WILL BECOME ORIENTED MORE WEST TO
EAST AND PULL AWAY FROM THE MOISTURE SOURCE. THIS WILL ALLOW THE
HIGHER CLOUDS TO DIMINISH AS WELL.

WE HAVE ISSUED A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE UPCOMING NORTHWEST SWELL
THAT WILL ARRIVE THIS MORNING. THE LONG PERIOD ENERGY IS ALREADY
SHOWING UP AT BUOY 51001. A NORTH PACIFIC STORM PRESENTLY EAST OF
KAMCHATKA WILL SEND ANOTHER NORTHWEST SWELL TO THE ISLANDS SUNDAY.
THIS SURF WILL BE SMALLER SINCE WINDS IN THE STORM ARE WEAKER AND
THE SEAS IN THE FETCH AREA ARE PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY THE ALEUTIANS.
R BALLARD.

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......NONE
.         ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF FOR NORTHWEST FACING SHORES.

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
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 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, Lanai

When
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 PM 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
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 PM 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
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 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, Oahu

When
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When
November 8, 8:00 AM HST to November 9, 6:00 PM HST
Where
West Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
High Surf, Oahu2001-11-0820FemaleIn WaterDirect

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, November 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: 5272299, 5272300, 5272301, 5272302, 5272303, 5272304, 5272305.