High Surf, Kauai
- When
- February 20, 11:00 AM HST to February 21, 6:00 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 20 to 21, 2002
A storm low far northwest of the islands generated surf of 12 to 18 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui; and 5 to 8 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- 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 far northwest of the islands generated surf of 12 to 18 feet along the north- and northwest-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui; and 5 to 8 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. 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 Feb 20, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 10 AM HST WED FEB 20 2002 SUMMARY...A BARELY NOTICED FRONT PASSED THRU MOST ISLANDS LAST NIGHT. IT HAS STRENGTHENED A BIT OVER THE BIG ISLAND BUT SHOULD ALSO BE LEAVING THERE LATER TODAY. FAIR WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL THRU THE WEEK END. DISCUSSION...THE FRONT NOW OVER THE BIG ISLAND ALTHO STRENGTHENED SOMEWHAT BY A PREFRONTAL CLOUD BAND IS STILL QUITE WEAK. ITS RAINFALL WAS SPOTTY AT BEST REGISTERING BUT A QUARTER INCH ON KAUAI AND MAUI...AND ONLY A TENTH ON OAHU. THE BIG ISLAND IS NOW RECEIVING TWO INCHES AT SOME SPOTS BUT THE FRONTS RAPID MOVEMENT SHOULD SEE THAT ISLAND CLEARING THIS AFTERNOON...EXCEPT FOR THE CUSTOMARY RESIDUAL CLOUDS OVER ITS WINDWARD FACE. TODAYS COOL NORTHERLY FLOW WILL BECOME MARGINALLY STRONG AND TURN INTO TRADE WINDS BY TOMORROW AS A 1025 MILLIBAR HIGH CELL PASSES TO THE NORTH. THE NEXT PROJECTED RAIN SYSTEM...A SHEARLINE DUE NEXT MONDAY. CONDITIONS UNTIL THEN WILL BE STABLE AND FAIRLY DRY. MATSUDA HFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE . WATCHES......NONE . ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF NORTHWEST SHORES
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
4 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, West Hawaii Including Leeward Kohala and Kona
- When
- February 20, 11:00 AM HST to February 21, 6:00 PM HST
- Where
- West Hawaii Including Leeward Kohala and Kona forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Surf, Maui
- When
- February 20, 11:00 AM HST to February 21, 6:00 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, Oahu
- When
- February 20, 11:00 AM HST to February 21, 6:00 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
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, February 20, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Ohio, February 20, 2002
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, February 20, 2002
- Dense Fog in Wisconsin, February 20, 2002
- Hail in Kentucky, February 20, 2002
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 20 to 21, 2002
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 20, 2002
- Winter Storm in Colorado, February 20 to 21, 2002
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 20, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Kentucky, February 20, 2002
- Flooding in Indiana, February 20 to 27, 2002
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 20 to 23, 2002
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: 5281081, 5281082, 5281083, 5281084.