High Surf, Kauai
- When
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM 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, December 21 to 22, 2002
A storm low near the Aleutians generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. However, there were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
- 6
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 near the Aleutians generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. However, 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 Dec 21, 4:59 AM HST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 21, 4:59 AM HST, 1 hour 1 minute before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY CONTINUES TO SHOW SCATTERED CUMULUS CLOUDS IN THE REGION...AND UPSTREAM OF WAKE ISLAND. A SURFACE RIDGE REMAINS TO YOUR NORTH...AND THE MODELS KEEP THE RIDGE IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. AS SUCH LOOK FOR LITTLE CHANGE. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH A FEW PASSING SHOWERS. NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE...AND WILL LIKELY BECOME MORE EASTERLY DURING THE PERIOD. A 4 TO 7 FOOT SHORT PERIOD TRADE WIND SWELL WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. NORTH NORTHWEST SWELL LESS THAN 6 FEET TODAY WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Lanai
- When
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM 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
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM 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
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Oahu
- When
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM HST
- Where
- Oahu forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, West Hawaii
- When
- December 21, 6:00 AM HST to December 22, 10:00 AM 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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, December 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: 5325313, 5325314, 5325315, 5325316, 5325317, 5325318.