Hawaii, 2003

High Surf in Hawaii, January 16 to 17, 2003

January 16 to 17, 2003 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A storm low northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the islands. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the islands. No serious property damage or injuries 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 Jan 16, 4:50 AM HST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 16, 4:50 AM HST, 10 minutes before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR WAKE ISLAND

SATELLITE IMAGES SHOWED A BAND OF SHOWERY LAYERED CLOUDS ASSOCIATED
WITH A FRONT SLOWLY APPROACHING WAKE FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST.
PATCHES OF DRIZZLY LOW CLOUDS LINGERED IN THE STAGNANT AIR AROUND
THE ISLAND. AS THE FRONT APPROACHES TODAY...THE WIND WILL PICK UP
FROM THE SOUTHEAST...REACHING 10 TO 15 KNOTS BEFORE THE MAIN FRONTAL
BAND ARRIVES THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. CLOUD COVER WILL
BRIEFLY DIMINISH AFTER SUNRISE...BUT THE FRONT WILL BRING CLOUDY
SKIES WITH PERIODS OF RAIN...ALONG WITH A GUSTY NORTHEAST WIND OF 15
TO 20 KNOTS. CLOUD COVER AND PRECIPITATION WILL SLOWLY TAPER OFF
OVERNIGHT...WHILE THE WIND WILL REMAIN CONSTANT. SWELL 7 TO 9 FEET
HIGH WILL CONTINUE TO ARRIVE FROM THE NORTH TO NORTHEAST...BUT A
MUCH LARGER SWELL WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH BY MIDDAY ON SATURDAY
WAKE TIME.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 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
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 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
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 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
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu

When
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When
January 16, 5:00 AM HST to January 17, 6:00 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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5328446, 5328447, 5328448, 5328449, 5328450, 5328451.