High Surf in Hawaii, April 1 to 2, 2002

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, April 1 to 2, 2002
Start: 2002-04-01T00:00
End: 2002-04-02T22:00
Location: Hawaii

April 1 to 2, 2002 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low far north of the state caused surf of 15 to 20 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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: 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 storm low far north of the state caused surf of 15 to 20 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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 Mar 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST SUN MAR 31 2002

SUMMARY...A REMNANT SHEAR LINE...COMBINED WITH AN UNSTABLE AIR
MASS...WILL MAKE THE BIG ISLAND THE FOCUS FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS INTO TUESDAY. GREATER STABILITY...DUE TO THE COOL DRY
AIRMASS THAT MOVED OVER THE ISLANDS LATE FRIDAY...WILL KEEP THE
WEATHER SUNNY AND GENERALLY DRY OVER THE REST OF THE ALOHA STATE.

DISCUSSION...THE COMBINATION OF A SHEAR LINE...THE REMNANT OF THE
COLD FRONTAL SYSTEM THAT MOVED OVER THE STATE FRIDAY INTO
SATURDAY...AND A JETSTREAM OVER THE TOP...HAS MADE THE AIRMASS VERY
UNSTABLE THIS EVENING. FORECAST CHARTS KEEP INSTABILITY OVER THE
BIG ISLAND INTO EARLY TUESDAY...AND THUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THERE. THE LOW TO OUR NORTH
IS WEAKENING HOWEVER...AND THE STABLE AIR OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE
STATE WILL MOVE EAST TO INCLUDE THE BIG ISLAND LATER ON TUESDAY...
CONTINUING TO KEEP THE ISLANDS GENERALLY DRY AND SUNNY THROUGH THE
COMING WEEK. EXPECT LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS TO RETURN BY
WEDNESDAY...BUT WEAKENING AGAIN BY NEXT WEEKEND. FARRELL

.HFO...WARNINGS.....NONE
.      WATCHES......NONE
.      ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF NORTH AND NORTHWEST 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 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, Lanai

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 10:00 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, April 2002

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: 5290688, 5290689, 5290690, 5290691, 5290692, 5290693, 5290694.