High Surf in Hawaii, November 29 to 30, 2002

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, November 29 to 30, 2002
Start: 2002-11-29T02:00
End: 2002-11-30T20:00
Location: Hawaii

November 29 to 30, 2002 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low north of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 25 feet along the northwest- and north-facing shores of all the islands. No serious injuries or property damage were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: 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 north of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 25 feet along the northwest- and north-facing shores of all the islands. 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 Nov 28, 8:30 PM HST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 8:30 PM HST, 5 hours 30 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST THU NOV 28 2002

SUMMARY...THE COLD FRONT OR SHEARLINE IS MOVING ACROSS OAHU THIS
EVENING...AND WILL BE OVER MAUI COUNTY LATER TONIGHT..AND THE BIG
ISLAND TOMORROW. CLEARING WILL OCCUR ON FRIDAY EXCEPT FOR THE BIG
ISLAND.

DISCUSSION...A MOIST AIR MASS CONTAINED WITHIN A FRONTAL CLOUD BAND
OR SHEARLINE IS SLOWLY PRESSING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS CHAIN. SOME MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS ARE LOCATED
WITHIN THIS CLOUD BAND.  NORMALLY VERY DRY HAWAII KAI ON OAHU
RECEIVED ABOUT 1 1/2 INCH OF RAIN DURING THE PAST HOUR OR TWO. THE
CLOUD BAND IS NOW AFFECTING MAUI COUNTY ALSO AND HAS JOINED WITH
ANOTHER CLOUD BAND THERE. BEHIND THE SHEARLINE ON KAUAI... RAINFALL
HAS GENERALLY ENDED WITH CLEARING COMMENCING AFTER SOME RAINFALLS OF
WELL OVER 2 INCHES ALONG THE NORTH SIDE AND THE INTERIOR OF THE
GARDEN ISLE.

LIGHT TRADE WINDS WILL FILL IN BEHIND THE SHEARLINE GIVING US A
COUPLE OF DAYS OF FINE WEATHER. THE NEXT SHOWERS WITH A SHEARLINE
ARE EXPECTED THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. FURTHER OUT IN THE FUTURE
AROUND DECEMBER 7TH A STRONGER SHEARLINE AND A STRONGER FOLLOWING
HIGH PRESSURE CELL MAY GIVE US A MORE WINTERLIKE WEATHER SYSTEM.

SURF...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY WAS POSTED AT 8 PM FOR INCREASING
NORTHERLY SURF DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ROSENDAL

.HFO...WARNINGS....NONE
.      WATCHES.....NONE
.      ADVISORIES..HIGH SURF NORTH FACING SHORES AT 8 PM.

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: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 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: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 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: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 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: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 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, Oahu

When: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: November 29, 2:00 AM HST to November 30, 8:00 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, November 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: 5325202, 5325203, 5325204, 5325205, 5325206, 5325207, 5325208.