High Surf in Hawaii, January 15 to 16, 2004

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 15 to 16, 2004
Start: 2004-01-15T05:00
End: 2004-01-16T22:00
Location: Hawaii

January 15 to 16, 2004 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low far northwest of the state generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores, and 10 to 15 feet along the west-facing shores, of all the Hawaiian Islands. However, no serious property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 Jan 15, 4:00 AM HST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 4:00 AM HST, 1 hour before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
4 AM HST THU JAN 15 2004

.SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING NEAR THE ISLANDS WILL RESULT IN
 LIGHTER WINDS AND FAIR WEATHER FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...WHATEVER LEFT OF THAT FRONT IS SOMEWHERE NEAR THE BIG
ISLAND THIS MORNING. RESIDUE CLOUDS FROM THE DISSIPATED FRONT ARE
STILL AFFECTING THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE BIG ISLAND. THERE
ARE SOME STABLE LOW CLOUDS IN OUR VICINITY...THOUGH IT IS PRETTY
CLEAR SKIES FOR MOST OF THE ISLANDS AT THIS HOUR. WINDS HAVE CALM
DOWN QUITE A BIT OVER THE ISLANDS...THUS BOTH WIND ADVISORY AND HIGH
WIND WARNING FOR THE SUMMIT ARE CANCELED. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL
MOVE THE ISLANDS...KEEPING OUR WINDS ON THE LIGHT SIDE FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS. WINDS THEN TURN MORE SOUTHERLY AS THE NEXT FRONT
APPROACHES THE ISLANDS. LATEST FORECAST CHARTS NOW HAVE THIS FRONT
COMING IN A LITTLE FASTER BY LATE SUNDAY...BUT STALLING JUST
NORTHWEST OF KAUAI WITH SLIGHTLY STRONGER SOUTHWEST WINDS OVER
KAUAI. THUS AT LEAST THE SCENARIO IS STILL THE SAME...THOUGH TIMING
OF THIS IS QUITE UNCERTAIN. SHALL KEEP MOST OF THE SHOWERS OVER
KAUAI LATE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THIS FRONT WILL DISSIPATE BY TUESDAY.
AS A SURFACE RIDGE REMAINS NEAR THE ISLANDS...WE SHOULD SEE LIGHT
SOUTHERLY WINDS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH NOT MUCH PRECIPITATION
EXPECTED.

&&

.SURF...LARGE SWELL SHOULD REACH THE NORTHERN ISLANDS IN THE COMING
HOURS AND STILL EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 25 TO 35 FEET RANGE FOR NORTH
SHORE OF OAHU. HIGH SURF WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE WEST SHORES OF
BIG ISLAND...AS WELL AS THE NORTH AND WEST SHORES OF THE REST OF THE
ISLANDS. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH SHORE
OF THE BIG ISLAND.

&&

.HNL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 HIGH SURF WARNING.....WEST FACING SHORES BIG ISLAND AND NORTH AND
                       WEST FACING SHORES REST OF THE ISLANDS
 HIGH SURF ADVISORY....NORTH FACING SHORES BIG ISLAND
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY..ALL WATERS

&&

HUI

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: January 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 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 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 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 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 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 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: January 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 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: January 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, West Hawaii

When: January 15, 5:00 AM HST to January 16, 10:00 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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5432328, 5432329, 5432330, 5432331, 5432332, 5432333, 5432334.