High Surf in Hawaii, September 17 to 19, 2001

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, September 17 to 19, 2001
Start: 2001-09-17T08:00
End: 2001-09-19T17:00
Location: Hawaii

September 17 to 19, 2001 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A trade wind swell generated 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.

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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 generated 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 17, 5:04 AM HST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 17, 5:04 AM HST, 2 hours 56 minutes before

NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND

A TROPICAL DISTURBANCE IS LOCATED ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF
WAKE ISLAND THIS MORNING. THE AVIATION MODEL MOVES THIS DISTURBANCE
TO THE NORTHWEST BUT KEEPS IT JUST SOUTH OF YOUR ISLAND. THE
DISTURBANCE WILL STILL BRING A LOT OF MOISTURE TO WAKE. LOOK FOR
INCREASING CLOUDS TODAY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS. EXPECT HEAVIER
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE INTO TOMORROW WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS. THE WINDS
WILL BE EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 MPH BUT WILL INCREASE LATER TODAY TO 20
TO 30 MPH. HIGHER GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. WINDS
WILL LIGHTEN TO 15 TO 25 MPH TOMORROW. 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

3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When: September 17, 8:00 AM HST to September 19, 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, North and East Hawaii

When: September 17, 8:00 AM HST to September 19, 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, South Hawaii

When: September 17, 8:00 AM HST to September 19, 5:00 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5266125, 5266126, 5266127.