High Surf, Kauai
- When
- September 1, 3:00 AM HST to September 2, 8:00 AM 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 in Hawaii, September 1 to 2, 2003
A swell from Tropical Storm Jimena generated surf of 4 to 8 feet along the east- and southeast-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Maui. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 swell from Tropical Storm Jimena generated surf of 4 to 8 feet along the east- and southeast-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Maui. No serious property damage or injuries were reported. However, more than 350 swimmers had to be rescued from waters off the south shore of Oahu during the Waikiki Roughwater Swim during the morning hours of the 1st of September. Strong currents forced many of the event's participants to seek assistance in getting out of the water. Those who had to be helped were rescued by city lifeguards, the fire department, the Coast Guard, and Good Samaritans. The Honolulu Police Department and Emergency Medical Services also contributed to the overall operation.
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 Aug 31, 8:30 PM HST, 6 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 8:30 PM HST, 6 hours 30 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 830 PM HST SUN AUG 31 2003 SUMMARY...HURRICANE JIMENA WILL BE PASSING JUST SOUTH OF THE BIG ISLAND EARLY MONDAY MORNING. IT WILL BRING GUSTY STRONG WIND...HEAVY RAIN AND AS WELL AS HIGH SURF TO THE BIG ISLAND. DISCUSSION...JIMENA CONTINUES TO TRACK TOWARDS THE WEST AT ABOUT 17 MPH AND IS EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN ITS COURSE THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE HURRICANE IS ALSO MAINTAINING ITS STRENGTH IN THE PAST FEW HOURS AND IS EXPECTED TO DO SO IN THE COMING HOURS. THE CURRENT TRACK STILL TAKES THE CENTER CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THE UNSETTLED WEATHER TO AFFECT THE BIG ISLAND...AND POSSIBLY MAUI AND LANAI. THUS A HURRICANE WATCH...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH AND A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND TONIGHT. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF MAUI AND MAY BE EXPANDED TO COVER REST OF THE ISLANDS LATER. HIGH SURF IS ALREADY AFFECTING THE BIG ISLAND WITH REPORTS OF 10 TO 12 FEET AT POHIKI AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BUILD OVERNIGHT. THUS EXPECT CONDITIONS TO DETERIORATE FOR THE BIG ISLAND IN THE COMING HOURS WITH INCREASING WINDS...RAIN AND SURF. PREVIOUS PACKAGE HAS THE SITUATION PRETTY WELL COVERED AND REQUIRES NO UPDATES AT THIS TIME. .HFO...HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE BIG ISLAND AND ADJACENT WATERS. FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE BIG ISLAND. HIGH SURF WARNING BIG ISLAND. HIGH SURF ADVISORY EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF MAUI. HFO TEAM TONIGHT PUBLIC...HUI SATELLITE...HOUSTON MARINE...WROE AVIATION...FUJI CPHC...BALLARD
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Lanai
- When
- September 1, 3:00 AM HST to September 2, 8:00 AM 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
- September 1, 3:00 AM HST to September 2, 8:00 AM 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
- September 1, 3:00 AM HST to September 2, 8:00 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Oahu
- When
- September 1, 3:00 AM HST to September 2, 8:00 AM HST
- Where
- Oahu 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
- Rip Current in Florida, September 1, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Indiana, September 1 to 3, 2003
- Flooding in Indiana, September 1 to 11, 2003
- Flooding in Indiana, September 1 to 4, 2003
- Rip Current in Florida, September 1, 2003
- Flooding in Indiana, September 1 to 2, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Indiana, September 1, 2003
- Wildfire in Montana, September 1 to 30, 2003
- Flooding and Damaging Winds in Ohio, September 1, 2003
- Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, September 1, 2003
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, September 1 to 2, 2003
- Tropical Storm in Texas, September 1 to 2, 2003
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, September 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: 5327720, 5327721, 5327722, 5327723, 5327724.