High Surf in Hawaii, December 10 to 12, 2003

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, December 10 to 12, 2003
Start: 2003-12-10T15:00
End: 2003-12-12T18:00
Location: Hawaii

December 10 to 12, 2003 · NWS HFO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A trade wind swell caused surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 trade wind swell caused surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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 Dec 10, 10:00 AM HST, 5 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 10, 10:00 AM HST, 5 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST WED DEC 10 2003

.SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS IS PRODUCING
BREEZY TRADEWINDS. A TROUGH ALOFT IS MAKING THE ATMOSPHERE SOMEWHAT
UNSTABLE AND PROMOTING SHOWER DEVELOPMENT. AS THE HIGH MOVES
EASTWARD...OUR WINDS WILL WEAKEN. THE TROUGH ALOFT WILL ALSO MOVE
EASTWARD SO THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME MORE STABLE AND SHOWERS WILL
DECREASE.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A SURFACE HIGH CENTERED FAR NORTH NORTHEAST OF THE
ISLANDS HAS A CENTRAL PRESSURE NEAR 1030MB. THIS HIGH...WHICH IS
PRODUCING OUR BREEZY TRADEWINDS...IS FORECAST TO MOVE STEADILY
EASTWARD. OUR TRADEWINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY THROUGH SATURDAY THEN
WEAKEN EARLY NEXT WEEK WHEN THE HIGH HAS MOVED OFF TO THE EAST.

WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN EAST TO WEST TROUGH ALOFT BETWEEN 20N
AND 30N WITH A SUBTROPICAL JET STREAM NEAR KAUAI. THIS PATTERN ALOFT
IS MAKING THE ATMOSPHERE OVER THE ISLANDS A BIT UNSTABLE AND MAKING
THE LOW CLOUDS NEAR THE ISLANDS RATHER SHOWERY. THE TROUGH ALOFT IS
FORECAST TO MOVE OFF TO THE EAST BRINGING MORE STABLE CONDITIONS TO
THE AREA STARTING TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

EARLY NEXT WEEK A TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DIG SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARDS
THE ISLANDS. THE DIGGING TROUGH WILL PUSH A FRONT TOWARDS THE
ISLANDS AND INDUCING TROUGHING IN THE LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW OVER
THE ISLANDS. THE FRONT...OR A SHEARLINE ALONG THE REMNANT OF THE
FRONT MAY REACH THE ISLANDS NEXT WEDNESDAY BUT IT IS STILL TO SOON
TO HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THE DETAILS THAT FAR OUT.

&&

.MARINE...
THE NEXT NORTHWEST SWELL IS EXPECTED EARLY TOMORROW WITH SURF
HEIGHTS REACHING THE ADVISORY LEVEL OF 15 FEET. WE EXPECT TO ISSUE
A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHWEST FACING SHORES AT 4 PM TODAY.
ON FRIDAY...A NEW NORTHWEST SWELL WILL REINFORCE THE CURRENT SWELL
SO HIGH SURF ADVISORIES ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN UP THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS

&&

DONALDSON

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: December 10, 3:00 PM HST to December 12, 6:00 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: December 10, 3:00 PM HST to December 12, 6:00 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, December 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: 5327914, 5327915.