High Surf in Hawaii, February 1 to 2, 2004

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, February 1 to 2, 2004
Start: 2004-02-01T00:00
End: 2004-02-02T15:00
Location: Hawaii

February 1 to 2, 2004 · NWS HFO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A trade wind swell generated surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 trade wind swell generated surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii. 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 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 8:30 PM HST, 3 hours 30 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST SAT JAN 31 2004

.SYNOPSIS...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS WILL
MAINTAIN BREEZY TRADE WINDS THROUGH TUESDAY. THEN FOR THE REST OF
THE WEEK...THE ISLANDS WILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A WEAK SURFACE
TROUGH THAT WILL DEEPEN BY FRIDAY. THIS DEEPENING WILL RESULT IN
UNSETTLE WEATHER BY FRIDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...THE PESKY UPPER LOW AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE BIG
ISLAND THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS FINALLY MOVED OFF TO THE EAST AND OUT
OF RANGE. THEREFORE THE BIG ISLAND DID NOT EXPERIENCED ANY
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. ALL MODELS SUPPORTS A WARMER AIR MASS
AND PERHAPS FEWER SHOWERS FOR THE STATE THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY.
THE MODERATE TO STRONG TRADES WILL START TO BACK OFF TUESDAY DUE TO
TROUGHING WEST OF KAUAI.

A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH SETTLES IN THE KAUAI CHANNEL WEDNESDAY AND
DEEPENS BY FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. UNSETTLE WEATHER WILL LIKELY BE IN
PLACE STATEWIDE BY FRIDAY INCLUDING THE OUTSIDE CHANCE FOR A
THUNDERSTORM.

IN THE MEAN TIME SHOWERS CONTINUES TO RIDE IN WITH THE TRADE WIND
FLOW THEREBY AFFECTING MAINLY THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS. THE
ZONE PACKAGE LOOKS OKAY EXCEPT WEDNESDAY COULD BE A LITTLE TOO WET.
ALSO OVERNITE TEMPS...ESPECIALLY THE WINDWARD BIG ISLAND IS UP TO 5
DEGREES TOO WARM.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY EAST FACING SHORES.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS.

LAU

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai

When: February 1, 12:00 AM HST to February 2, 3:00 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, North and East Hawaii

When: February 1, 12:00 AM HST to February 2, 3:00 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, South Hawaii

When: February 1, 12:00 AM HST to February 2, 3:00 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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, February 2004

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: 5431041, 5431042, 5431043.