High Surf in Hawaii, January 24 to 26, 2003

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 24 to 26, 2003
Start: 2003-01-24T05:00
End: 2003-01-26T18:00
Location: Hawaii

January 24 to 26, 2003 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A storm low far northwest of Hawaii produced surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the 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: 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 far northwest of Hawaii produced surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the 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 Jan 24, 5:00 AM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 24, 5:00 AM HST, 0 minutes before

NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR AMERICAN SAMOA AND THE INDEPENDENT
STATE OF SAMOA

TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY....
A SURFACE LOW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DATELINE JUST WEST OF NADI
WILL KEEP WINDS NEAR SAMOA LIGHT NORTHERLY THROUGH SATURDAY. A WEAK
EAST-WEST ALIGNED UPPER TROUGH OVER YOUR AREA WILL REMAIN OVERHEAD
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. WEAK LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND A
WARM AND MOIST NORTHERLY FLOW ARE ALLOWING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO
POP UP THROUGHOUT THE REGION. EXPECT A CONTINUATION OF THIS PATTERN
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. LIGHT NORTH WINDS 10 MPH OR LESS TO
LAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A NORTH-NORTHWEST SWELL AT 6 FEET
DECREASING SATURDAY.

OUTLOOK FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...
A WEAK EAST-WEST SURFACE RIDGE OVER YOUR AREA WILL KEEP LIGHT WEST
WINDS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY. THESE WESTERLY WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 15 MPH AS A TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH AND
TIGHTENS THE GRADIENT SOMEWHAT.

NARRATIVE DISCUSSION FOR TUVALU

TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...TUVALU TIME...
A SURFACE LOW JUST WEST OF NADI AND A WEAK RIDGE IMMEDIATELY EAST
OF THE TUVALU AREA ARE CREATING WEAK LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVER YOUR
AREA. THE MOIST UNSTABLE AIR MASS IS ALLOWING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS
TO FORM IN AND NEAR THE AREA. THIS PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH
SUNDAY. LIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS.

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 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 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 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 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 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 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 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 6:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu

When: January 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 6:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: January 24, 5:00 AM HST to January 26, 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5328550, 5328551, 5328552, 5328553, 5328554, 5328555.