Hawaii, 2002

High Surf in Hawaii, June 1 to 2, 2002

June 1 to 2, 2002 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A storm low far south of the equator caused surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious injuries or property damage 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.

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  • Marine and coastal
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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 storm low far south of the equator caused surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious injuries or property damage 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 Jun 1, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 1, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 PM HST SAT JUN 1 2002

SUMMARY...FAIR WEATHER WILL RULE WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF SHOWERS.
ALTHOUGH TRADE WINDS WILL WEAKEN THE NEXT TWO DAYS THEY ARE EXPECTED
TO RETURN FIRMLY THEREAFTER.

DISCUSSION...THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE..NOW IN A POSITION FAR ENOUGH
NORTH TO PLACE THE ISLANDS IN THE MODERATE TRADE WINDS..IS MOVING
SOUTHWARD TO WITHIN 100 MILES TO THE NORTH OF KAUAI. THIS
SHOULD WEAKEN OUR WINDS SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE RIDGE SHOULD THEN
RESTRENGTHEN AND RETREAT BACK TO THE NORTH ALLOWING TRADE WINDS
TO FRESHEN TO NORMAL OR ABOVE NORMAL SPEEDS. THE CURRENT STABILITY
OF NEARBY MIDLEVEL RIDGING WITH ITS 4000 TO 5000 FOOT CLOUD
INHIBITING TEMPERATURE CAPS AND LITTLE UPSTREAM MOISTURE IS YIELDING
VERY FEW IF ANY SHOWERS. SOME WEAK TROUGHING AT HIGHER LEVELS
BETWEEN SUNDAY AND TUESDAY MAY PERMIT SOME AFTERNOON CONVECTION
MAINLY ON THE BIG ISLAND.  MATSUDA

.HFO...WARNINGS...WATCHES...NONE
    ...ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF SOUTH SHORES

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
June 1, 4:00 PM HST to June 2, 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, North and East Hawaii

When
June 1, 4:00 PM HST to June 2, 4:00 PM HST
Where
North and East Hawaii forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, South Hawaii

When
June 1, 4:00 PM HST to June 2, 4:00 PM HST
Where
South Hawaii 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, June 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: 5305363, 5305364, 5305365.