High Surf in Hawaii, April 28 to 30, 2002

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, April 28 to 30, 2002
Start: 2002-04-28T13:00
End: 2002-04-30T20:30
Location: Hawaii

April 28 to 30, 2002 · NWS HFO · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A storm low far south of the equator caused surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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

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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 far south of the equator caused surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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 Apr 28, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST SUN APR 28 2002

SUMMARY...EXPECT TRADE WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE COMING WEEK AS
HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTHEAST REMAINS IN PLACE. A FRONT WEST OF
KAUAI WILL PROVIDE LAYERED CLOUDS FOR THE WESTERN END OF THE MAIN
ISLAND CHAIN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH MAY
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS ON THE BIG ISLAND...POSSIBLY SPREADING
TO THE ISLANDS OF MAUI COUNTY DURING THE AFTERNOON.

DISCUSSION...TWO WEATHER FEATURES WILL AFFECT THE STATE TODAY...ONE
ON EACH END OF THE MAIN ISLAND CHAIN. A BROAD BAND OF MULTILAYERED
CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONT WEST OF KAUAI WILL BLOT OUT THE SUN
FOR THE WESTERN ISLANDS...WHILE SHOWERY LOW CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH A
WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL AFFECT THE BIG ISLAND AND SPREAD WEST
WITHIN THE TRADES. THE FRONT WILL REMAIN WEST OF KAUAI...BUT LEADING
ELEMENTS OF THE ASSOCIATED CLOUD BAND WILL JUST REACH KAUAI TODAY
AND TOMORROW...ACCORDING TO MODELS. SATELLITE IMAGERY BACKS THIS UP
SO FAR...WITH PRECURSOR MIDDLE AND HIGH CLOUDS ALREADY MOVING AS FAR
EAST AS WEST MAUI AT THIS WRITING. THESE MIDDLE AND HIGH CLOUDS ARE
QUITE THICK...THICK ENOUGH TO PREVENT INFRARED AND VISIBLE VIEWING
OF LOWER CLOUDS. THE SURFACE TROUGH EMBEDDED WITHIN THE TRADES
SOUTHEAST OF THE BIG ISLAND HAS GENERATED A 120 MILE WIDE BAND OF
BROKEN TO OVERCAST SHOWERY LOW CLOUDS WHICH EXTENDS SOUTHEAST FROM
CAPE KUMUKAHI ON THE BIG ISLAND TO NEAR 18N150W. THE NORTHERN
PORTION OF THIS BAND WILL AFFECT THE BIG ISLAND...AND THE SLIGHT
EASTERLY COMPONENT OF THE TRADES MAY DRAG THE SHOWER BAND UP TOWARDS
THE SMALLER ISLANDS LATER TODAY. HEAVY SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE
BIG ISLAND AS OROGRAPHIC LIFT IS GIVEN A BOOST BY DAYTIME
HEATING...ESPECIALLY OVER WINDWARD AND KAU DISTRICTS. DRIER
CONDITIONS WILL MOVE IN BY TUESDAY...WHEN THE RESURGING TRADES PUSH
THE FRONT WEST OUT OF RANGE OF THE MAIN ISLANDS AND RIDGING ALOFT
DISCOURAGES HEAVY SHOWER DEVELOPMENT.

POWELL

.HFO...WARNINGS...WATCHES...ADVISORIES...NONE

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, Molokai

When: April 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: April 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 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 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When: April 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 PM HST
Where: South Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: April 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 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)

High Surf, Kauai

When: April 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 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 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 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 28, 1:00 PM HST to April 30, 8:30 PM HST
Where: Maui forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (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: 5289114, 5289115, 5289116, 5289117, 5289118, 5290711, 5290712, 5290713.