High Surf in Hawaii, January 3 to 4, 2002

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 3 to 4, 2002
Start: 2002-01-03T13:00
End: 2002-01-04T16:00
Location: Hawaii

January 3 to 4, 2002 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A storm low far north/northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest shores of all the islands.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 far north/northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest shores of all the islands.

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 Jan 3, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 3, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST THU JAN 3 2002

.SUMMARY...CLEARING CONDITIONS TODAY WITH THE NEXT FRONT...A WEAK
 ONE...NOT EXPECTED UNTIL SUNDAY.

.DISCUSSION...THE FRONT PASSED THRU THE ISLANDS LAST NIGHT LEAVING
 VERY LITTLE SHOWERS ON KAUAI AND OAHU BUT MANAGED TO GENERATE
 NEAR AN INCH OF RAINFALL OVER MAUI COUNTY AND PARTS OF THE BIG
 ISLAND. THE FRONT HAS NOW CLEARED ALL ISLANDS WITH ONLY DISSIPATING
 CLOUDS LEFTOVER OVER PORTIONS OF THE STATE. WINDS ARE ALSO
 WEAKENING WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES DUE TO BE LOWERED BY
 EVENING. THE NEXT FRONT IS FORECAST TO ARRIVE ON SUNDAY BUT
 BE EVEN WEAKER THAN LAST NIGHTS.

.SURF...THE BUOY NORTHWEST OF KAUAI IS NOW INDICATING THAT
 NORTHWEST SURF WILL BUILD TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY TONIGHT.
 A HIGH SURF ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED AT NOON.
 MATSUDA

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......NONE
.         ADVISORIES...SMALL CRAFT ALL WATERS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 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, Lanai

When: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 4:00 PM 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: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 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: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 4:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu

When: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 4:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: January 3, 1:00 PM HST to January 4, 4:00 PM 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5278483, 5278484, 5278485, 5278486, 5278487, 5278488.