Strong Wind in Hawaii, February 8, 2002

Name: Strong Wind in Hawaii, February 8, 2002
Start: 2002-02-08T16:30
End: 2002-02-08T18:30
Location: Hawaii

February 8, 2002 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A cold frontal passage produced north to northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts to 55 mph, throughout the Big Island of Hawaii. M.

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: 3

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 cold frontal passage produced north to northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts to 55 mph, throughout the Big Island of Hawaii. The winds were strong enough to cause a barge to break free from a tug boat in Kawaihae Harbor along the leeward Kohala coast around 6 P.M. The barge then hit seven pleasure crafts and went aground. However, there were no serious injuries. Damage estimates were not available.

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 8, 4:00 PM HST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 8, 4:00 PM HST, 30 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 PM HST FRI FEB 8 2002

SUMMARY...A COLD FRONT NEAR BIG ISLAND IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT
15 MPH. HIGH FAR NORTHWEST OF THE ISLAND WILL MAINTAIN STRONG AND
GUSTY WINDS THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

DISCUSSION...A COLD FRONT HAS PASSED MOST OF THE ISLAND CHAIN...
EXCEPT THE BIG ISLAND AT THIS POINT. THERE ARE SIGNS THAT THIS FRONT
IS WEAKENING AS THE FRONTAL BAND IS THINNING OUT AS WE SPEAK. DO
BELIEVE IT WILL MAKE IT TO THE BIG ISLAND TONIGHT...SINCE THERE IS
PLENTY OF COLD AIR PUSH BEHIND THE FRONT. TEMPERATURES HAVE DROPPED
ABOUT 8 DEGREES BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLD
NIGHT TONIGHT...IF NOT FOR THE STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT
KEEPING TEMPERATURE FROM REACHING TOO LOW. HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM FAR
NORTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS WILL MOVE EAST IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS...
KEEPING MODERATE TRADE WINDS TO OUR ISLANDS. IN FACT...FORECAST
CHARTS INDICATE MODERATE TRADE WINDS TO LAST THROUGH MOST OF NEXT
WEEK AS SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT OVER OUR AREA. LOOKS
LIKE TYPICAL TRADEWIND WEATHER IS HERE TO STAY THROUGH NEXT WEEK. ON
THE OTHER HAND...FORECAST CHARTS SHOW AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SWING BY
OUR AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK. DO NOT THINK IT WILL HAVE MUCH IMPACT ON
US...EXCEPT FOR A LITTLE ENHANCEMENT IN OUR TRADE SHOWERS.

DO EXPECT SURF ON THE NORTH SHORES TO SLOWLY RISE THROUGH SATURDAY.
AS OF THIS POINT...SEEMS LIKE IT WILL REACH HIGH SURF ADVISORY
CRITERIA. SHALL POST THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE NORTH SHORE WITH
THIS PACKAGE. THIS SURF EPISODE SHOULD LAST THROUGH SUNDAY.

.HFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.        WATCHES......NONE
.        ADVISORIES...SMALL CRAFT ALL ISLANDS.
                      HIGH SURF NORTH SHORES ALL ISLANDS.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, North and East Hawaii

When: February 8, 4:30 PM HST to 6:30 PM HST
Where: North and East Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, South Hawaii

When: February 8, 4:30 PM HST to 6:30 PM HST
Where: South Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, West Hawaii

When: February 8, 4:30 PM HST to 6:30 PM HST
Where: West Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage 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, 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: 5281072, 5281073, 5281074.