High Surf in Hawaii, April 19 to 21, 2003

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, April 19 to 21, 2003
Start: 2003-04-19T16:00
End: 2003-04-21T08:00
Location: Hawaii

April 19 to 21, 2003 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low southeast of New Zealand generated surf of 4 to 8 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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: 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 southeast of New Zealand generated surf of 4 to 8 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious injuries or 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 Apr 19, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 19, 4:00 PM HST, 0 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 PM HST SAT APR 19 2003

SUMMARY...A LARGE HIGH NORTH OF THE STATE WILL MAINTAIN BRISK TRADE
WINDS THROUGH NEXT WEEK. AT THE SAME TIME...LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL
ENHANCE SHOWERS...AS THEY RIDE IN ON THE TRADE WINDS.

DISCUSSION...A LARGE SURFACE HIGH WILL HANG AROUND TO THE NORTH AND
NORTHEAST OF HAWAII BETWEEN 30N AND 40N THE NEXT 10 DAYS. THE HIGH
WILL DRIFT EAST AND WEST...AND WILL MERGE WITH A COUPLE OF HIGHS
MIGRATING EAST ACROSS THE DATELINE...ALL THE WHILE REMAINING LARGE
ENOUGH TO BLOW MODERATE TO BRISK TRADE WINDS ACROSS THE STATE.

ALOFT...A NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST TROUGH WILL LINGER OVER OR NEAR
HAWAII THE NEXT 7 DAYS. AN UPPER HIGH WILL BE NORTHWEST OF HERE
DURING THE SAME PERIOD. A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVING ALONG IN THE
MID-LATITUDE WESTERLIES ALOFT WILL HANG A RIGHT AND DROP SOUTHWARD
DOWN THE EAST SIDE OF THE HIGH...SETTLING INTO THE TROUGH OVER THE
STATE TUESDAY. COLD TEMPERATURES ACCOMPANYING THE TRAVELING TROUGH
WILL STEEPEN THE LAPSE RATE AND DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. MODELS
NOW SAY THAT A CLOSED LOW WILL FORM IN THE TROUGH ALOFT WEDNESDAY
AND LAST THROUGH THURSDAY. IF THIS PROVES TO BE TRUE...WE COULD BE
HEARING THUNDER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. CRAIG.

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

7 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 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: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 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: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 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: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 AM 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: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When: April 19, 4:00 PM HST to April 21, 8:00 AM 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, April 2003

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: 5327479, 5327480, 5327481, 5327482, 5327483, 5327484, 5327485.