Hawaii, 2001

High Surf in Hawaii, September 16 to 17, 2001

September 16 to 17, 2001 · NWS HFO · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A storm low in the Southern Hemisphere caused surf of 4 to 8 feet along the southeast- and south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 storm low in the Southern Hemisphere caused surf of 4 to 8 feet along the southeast- and south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian 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 Sep 16, 4:58 AM HST, 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 4:58 AM HST, 2 minutes before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND

AN UPPER LEVEL LOW IS LOCATED FAR TO YOUR NORTHEAST AND THE MODEL
INDICATES THAT THE LOW WILL WEAKEN OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. DURING
THIS TIME...THE MODEL DOES DEVELOP A LOW TO YOUR SOUTH. DURING THE
LAST TWELVE HOURS...CONVECTION TO YOUR SOUTH SOUTHEAST HAS BECOME A
BIT MORE ORGANIZED. THE CLOUDS IN THIS AREA ARE BEGINNING TO SHOW
SIGNS OF DEVELOPING INTO SUCH A LOW. THE MODEL MOVES THE LOW NORTH
NORTHWEST OVER WAKE...BRINGING SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO
WAKE. LOOK FOR PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES THIS MORNING TO INCREASE THIS
AFTERNOON TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS LATE TODAY.
OVERNIGHT...YOU CAN EXPECT SHOWERS TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. THE WINDS WILL BE EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15
MPH. NO SIGNIFICANT SWELL IS EXPECTED.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 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
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 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
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 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
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 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
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 PM HST
Where
South Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When
September 16, 5:00 AM HST to September 17, 5:00 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)

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: 5266115, 5266116, 5266117, 5266118, 5266119, 5266120, 5266121, 5266122.