High Surf in Hawaii, July 13 to 15, 2004

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, July 13 to 15, 2004
Start: 2004-07-13T08:00
End: 2004-07-15T10:00
Location: Hawaii

July 13 to 15, 2004 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm low in the southern hemisphere generated surf of 5 to 10 feet along the south 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; 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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

A storm low in the southern hemisphere generated surf of 5 to 10 feet along the south shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. However, no serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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 Jul 13, 6:15 AM HST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 6:15 AM HST, 1 hour 45 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
615 AM HST TUE JUL 13 2004

.SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE PREVAILS FAR NORTH OF OUR AREA THROUGH
THIS WEEK...MAINTAINING LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE WINDS. CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS CARRIED BY THE TRADES WILL AFFECT OUR ISLANDS AT TIMES.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
LINGERING LOW CLOUDS OVER OAHU PROVIDED SHOWERS OVER THE CENTRAL
AND EAST PART OF THE ISLAND. ELSEWHERE USUAL NIGHT TIME CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS AFFECTING WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS...AND ALSO OVER THE
KONA SIDE ON THE BIG ISLAND. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A MORE
CONCENTRATED BAND OF CLOUDS EXTENDING FROM THE EAST SIDE OF BIG
ISLAND EASTWARD. ALL THESE CLOUDS ARE CARRIED BY THE MODERATE TRADE
WINDS WHICH IS THE MAIN WEATHER FEATURE OVER OUR ISLAND. HIGH FAR
NORTH IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST...MAINTAINING LIGHT MODERATE TRADE
WINDS OVER OUR AREA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. FORECAST CHARTS
STILL SHOW A SLIGHT WEAKENING OF THE TRADE WINDS ON THURSDAY...AND
THIS CORRESPONDS TO THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK UPPER LEVEL FEATURE ACROSS
THE ISLANDS AT THE SAME TIME. SINCE THE FORECAST CHARTS ARE
CONSISTENT WITH THIS FEATURE FOR THE PAST FEW RUNS...THIS SCENARIO
LOOKS QUITE CREDITABLE AT THIS POINT. TRADE WINDS SHOULD PICK
UP SLIGHTLY AGAIN ON FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AS THE HIGH FAR
NORTH SLOWLY MOVES NORTHWARD BUT STRENGTHENS A LITTLE. IN
ESSENCE...TRADE WIND WEATHER PREVAILS THROUGH THEIS WEEK INTO
NEXT WEEK...WITH CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AFFECTING WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN
SECTIONS...AND REACHING THE LEEWARD SECTIONS AT TIMES.

THE ANTICIPATED SOUTH SWELL HAS REACHED BUOY 2 AND 3 LATE LAST NIGHT
AND IS ON ITS WAY TO OUR ISLANDS. SHOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF SURF
THIS MORNING FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY
REMAINS IN EFFECT THE SOUTH FACING SHORES OF ALL ISLANDS.

&&

.UPDATE...ADDED MORE SHOWERS TO OAHU AND MOLOKAI AS BROKEN TO
OVERCAST AREA OF SHOWERS MOVING ONSHORE THESE ISLANDS VISIBLE ON
SATELLITE AND DOPPLER RADAR.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES ALL ISLANDS.

&&

EFFECTIVE 800 AM HST...JULY 15...2004...AFDHI WILL BE ISSUED AS
AFDHFO. THE WMO HEADING FXHW60 PHFO WILL REMAIN THE SAME.

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: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 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, Lanai

When: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 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: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 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: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, North and East Hawaii

When: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 AM 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: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Hawaii

When: July 13, 8:00 AM HST to July 15, 10:00 AM 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, July 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: 5431479, 5431480, 5431481, 5431482, 5431570, 5431571, 5431572.