High Surf in Hawaii, November 28 to 30, 2003

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, November 28 to 30, 2003
Start: 2003-11-28T01:00
End: 2003-11-30T18:00
Location: Hawaii

November 28 to 30, 2003 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A deep low far north of Hawaii and a strong trade wind swell caused surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north- and east-facing shores of all the islands. No serious injuries or property damage were reported, though water coming ashore occasionally closed roads along affected shorelines.

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: 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.

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 Nov 28, 12:40 AM HST, 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 12:40 AM HST, 20 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1240 AM HST FRI NOV 28 2003

UPDATED FOR HIGH SURF ADVISORY ISSUED AT 1230 AM HST

.SYNOPSIS...SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH AN OLD SHEARLINE WILL SPREAD
BACK WESTWARD TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AS TRADES RETURN TO THE MAIN
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING TO OUR NORTH WILL PUSH
ANOTHER SHEARLINE THROUGH US FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECT
MODERATE TRADES TO CONTINUE FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE
FORECAST PERIOD.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A STRONG 1041 MB HIGH NORTH OF 40N IS BEGINNING TO
AFFECT THE WIND FIELD AROUND THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THIS MORNING.
A BAND OF OVERCAST SHOWERY LOW CLOUDS WHICH EXTENDS NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE BIG ISLAND AND ADJACENT WATERS IS
BEGINNING TO MOVE BACK TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST IN THE FACE OF WEAKLY
RETURNING TRADES. HIGH CLOUDS ALONG THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF AN UPPER
LOW ABOUT 600 MILES NORTHWEST OF KAUAI ARE MOVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL
AND WESTERN ISLANDS THIS MORNING.

THE HIGH MOVING BY THE STATE FAR TO THE NORTH WILL PUSH A SECOND
BAND OF SHOWERS OVER THE ISLANDS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY
AHEAD OF STRONGER TRADE WINDS. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AND COOL ON
SATURDAY...BUT WILL DROP OFF A BIT WITH SUNSHINE RETURNING SUNDAY.
THE STRONG SURFACE HIGH WILL MOVE EASTWARD AND WEAKEN QUICKLY TO OUR
NORTHEAST. HOWEVER...MODELS SHOW TRADE WIND WEATHER HOLDING OUT
THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD ONCE IT RETURNS IN EARNEST
SUNDAY.

&&

.MARINE...THE STRONG HIGH FAR TO THE NORTH AND THE LOW THAT HAD
EARLIER BEEN NEAR THE ISLANDS IS SETTING UP A STRONG NORTHERLY FETCH
POINTED TOWARD THE ISLANDS. EXPECT THE FIRST ARRIVALS OF THIS SWELL
FROM THE NORTH LATER THIS MORNING...BECOMING MORE NORTHEASTERLY
FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THIS WILL BE A HIGH SURF ADVISORY EVENT
FOR NORTH FACING SHORES AND THE ADVISORY WAS ISSUED AT 1230 AM HST.
ADVISORIES FOR EAST FACING SHORES MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY AS THE
SURF DIRECTION SWINGS AROUND. SURF MAY POSSIBLY RISE LATER TO HIGH
SURF WARNING LEVELS FOR EAST FACING SHORES BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT OR
SATURDAY MORNING.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF ALL HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

&&

POWELL

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: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 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: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 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: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 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: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 6:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 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, Oahu

When: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 6:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When: November 28, 1:00 AM HST to November 30, 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, November 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: 5327829, 5327830, 5327831, 5327885, 5327886, 5327887, 5327888.