High Surf, Kauai
- When
- February 12, 8:00 AM HST to 8:00 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 in Hawaii, February 12, 2002
A storm low far northwest of Hawaii caused surf of 10 to 15 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai. There were no reports of injuries or serious property damage.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
- 1
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 northwest of Hawaii caused surf of 10 to 15 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai. There were no reports of injuries or serious property damage.
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 Feb 12, 4:59 AM HST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 12, 4:59 AM HST, 3 hours 1 minute before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES OVER WAKE ISLAND AND THE VICINITY. THIS SHOULD CONTINUE AS A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE REMAINS JUST TO YOUR NORTH. WINDS WILL BE EAST 10 KNOTS. NO SIGNIFICANT SWELL IS EXPECTED.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
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, February 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: 5281080.