Hawaii, 2002

High Surf in Hawaii, June 12 to 14, 2002

June 12 to 14, 2002 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low east of New Zealand generated surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. One man drowned at about 12:20 PM HST on June 13th near Koko Kai Beach Park south of Portlock on Oahu's southeast coast after being swept out to sea by high surf.

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.

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  • Floods
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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
1
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 east of New Zealand generated surf of 6 to 12 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. One man drowned at about 12:20 PM HST on June 13th near Koko Kai Beach Park south of Portlock on Oahu's southeast coast after being swept out to sea by high surf. Two women near the same area were rescued by lifeguards that day as well, with one of them almost drowning and being taken to Straub Hospital for treatment and observation. There were no reports of 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 Jun 12, 10:00 AM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 12, 10:00 AM HST, 0 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST WED JUN 12 2002

SUMMARY...A SURFACE RIDGE TO OUR NORTH WILL KEEP TRADE WINDS
BLOWING ACROSS THE ISLANDS FOR THE NEXT TEN DAYS. SHOWERS WILL FALL
MAINLY OVER WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS.

DISCUSSION...A TYPICAL SUMMERTIME PATTERN WILL PERSIST FOR AT LEAST
THE NEXT 10 DAYS. A RIDGE NORTH OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WILL
PRODUCE STEADY TRADE WIND FLOW ACROSS THE ISLANDS. A TUTT...TROPICAL
UPPER TROPOSPHERIC TROUGH...NORTH OF THE MAIN ISLANDS WILL PRODUCE
ENOUGH INSTABILITY TO GENERATE BANDS OF SHOWERS IN THE TRADE FLOW.
SHOWERS WILL FALL MAINLY OVER WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS AND WILL
BE MOST FREQUENT AT NIGHT AND EARLY IN THE MORNINGS. THE ONE
EXCEPTION WILL BE THE KONA SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND WHERE SHOWERS
WILL FALL MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS.

SURF...SOUTH SWELL FROM A STORM WHICH WAS EAST OF NEW ZEALAND SIX
DAYS AGO STARTED REACHING BUOYS 2 AND 3 EARLY THIS MORNING. SURF
WILL BE RISING ALONG THE SOUTH SHORES THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL RISE
ABOVE THE 8 FOOT ADVISORY LEVEL TONIGHT. SURF WILL PEAK NEAR 10 FEET
ON THURSDAY THEN SLOWLY DECREASE. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY WILL BE
ISSUED AT NOON.
DONALDSON

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

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM 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
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM 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
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM 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
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii Including Windward Kohala / Hamakua / Hilo / Puna

When
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM HST
Where
North and East Hawaii Including Windward Kohala / Hamakua / Hilo / Puna forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Oahu

When
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii Including Kau

When
June 12, 10:00 AM HST to June 14, 2:00 AM HST
Where
South Hawaii Including Kau forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
High Surf, Oahu2002-06-1319MaleIn WaterDirect

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: 5305369, 5305370, 5305371, 5305372, 5305373, 5305374, 5305375.