Hawaii, 2003

High Surf in Hawaii, January 28 to 29, 2003

January 28 to 29, 2003 · NWS HFO · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A storm low northwest of the state caused surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. No serious injuries or property damage were reported, however.

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 the state caused surf of 10 to 20 feet along the northwest-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. No serious injuries or property damage were reported, however.

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 28, 10:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 28, 10:00 AM HST, 2 hours before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
10 AM HST TUE JAN 28 2003

SUMMARY...A WEAK FRONT WILL BE AFFECTING THE STATE BEGINNING
WEDNESDAY...STALLING THURSDAY...AND CLEARING FRIDAY.

DISCUSSION...THE MODELS HAVE REMAINED FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH BOTH
TOMORROWS ARRIVAL OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT ITS STALLING NEAR MAUI.
THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE WEAKER THAN EARLIER ONES. BESIDES NOT
BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE STATE..RETURNING BACK
TOWARD KAUAI AFTER IT TOUCHES MAUI..THE FRONTS SOUTHWEST FLOW IS
EXPECTED TO BE MUCH LIGHTER THAN ITS WINDY PREDECCESSORS. THE LATEST
TIMING ON THE FRONTS INITIAL SHOWERS...KAUAI TOMORROW MORNING..
OAHU LATE TOMORROW AFTERNOON..MAUI THURSDAY MORNING. AS THE WEATHER
CLEARS A HIGH CELL WILL BE PASSING NORTH OF THE ISLANDS RETURNING
TRADE WINDS TO THE ISLANDS FOR A SEVERAL DAY PERIOD.  MATSUDA

.HFO...WATCHES......NONE
.      WARNINGS.....NONE
.      ADVISORIES...HIGH SURF NORTHWEST SHORES
.                ...SMALL CRAFT LARGE SWELLS

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 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 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
January 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 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
January 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 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
January 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 8:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu

When
January 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 8:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When
January 28, 12:00 PM HST to January 29, 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

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: 5328556, 5328868, 5328869, 5328870, 5328871, 5328872.