High Surf, Kauai
- When
- September 10, 7:00 AM HST to September 12, 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 in Hawaii, September 10 to 12, 2001
A trade wind swell produced surf of 4 to 8 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai and the island of Hawaii.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
- 3
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 4 to 8 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai and the island of Hawaii.
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 Sep 10, 5:01 AM HST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 10, 5:01 AM HST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND THE SURFACE RIDGE FAR TO THE NORTH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE PRODUCING THE EASTERLY TRADE WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS. HOWEVER CONDITIONS ARE SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE DUE TO AN UPPER ATMOSPHERIC TROUGH TO THE NORTHEAST OF YOU. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE JUST SOUTHEAST EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL DAYS THEREFORE EXPECT PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH SHOWERS AND A CHANCE OF A HEAVY SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, North and East Hawaii
- When
- September 10, 7:00 AM HST to September 12, 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, South Hawaii
- When
- September 10, 7:00 AM HST to September 12, 6:00 PM 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, September 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: 5266111, 5266112, 5266113.