Hawaii, 2002

High Surf in Hawaii, December 30 to 31, 2002

December 30 to 31, 2002 · NWS HFO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A storm low that had been near the Kamchatka Peninsula caused surf of 10 to 15 feet along the northwest-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Maui. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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.

  • 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
4

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 that had been near the Kamchatka Peninsula caused surf of 10 to 15 feet along the northwest-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Maui. 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 Dec 30, 8:30 PM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 30, 8:30 PM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST MON DEC 30 2002

SUMMARY...DRY AND STILL FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. A COLD FRONT AND
ITS SHOWERS AND WINDS ARRIVE THIS WEEK END.

DISCUSSION...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE ARRIVAL OF A COLD FRONT
THIS WEEK END. BEST CURRENT ESTIMATES OF THE ARRIVAL OF SHOWERS
ARE...KAUAI SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING...OAHU SATURDAY NIGHT...OTHER
ISLANDS SUNDAY. UNTIL THEN THE STABLE AND DRY SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE
VIRTUALLY OVER THE ISLANDS CAUSING WINDS TO BE NEAR CALM..A SMOKY
NEW YEARS EVE MAY WELL BE IN STORE..AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE ONLY
SMALL OINTMENT TO THIS DRY SCENARIO IS A WEAK STALLING SHEARLINE
WHICH MAY LEND A FEW SMATTERINGS WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING
TO KAUAI..AND OAHU ON THE OUTSIDE. PROJECTED POOR UPPER LEVEL
SUPPORT FOR THE SHEARLINE PERSUADES US TO KEEP ITS MENTION FROM
THE FORECAST.  MATSUDA

.HFO...WATCHES......NONE
.      WARNINGS.....NONE
.      ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND MAUI

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
December 30, 10:00 PM HST to December 31, 4:00 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, Maui

When
December 30, 10:00 PM HST to December 31, 4:00 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
December 30, 10:00 PM HST to December 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu

When
December 30, 10:00 PM HST to December 31, 4:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu 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

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: 5325320, 5325321, 5325322, 5325323.