High Surf, Kauai
- When
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 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 in Hawaii, March 2 to 3, 2004
A storm low far northwest of the state generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores, and 6 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores, of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious injuries or property damage 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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 far northwest of the state generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores, and 6 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores, of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious injuries or property damage 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 Mar 2, 4:40 AM HST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 4:40 AM HST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
NARRATIVE SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION FOR AMERICAN SAMOA AND THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF SAMOA TODAY AND WEDNESDAY... ISOLATED CONVECTION IS NOTED ALONG AN OLD SHEAR LINE ALIGNED EAST-WEST ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO. SCATTERED LOW CLOUDS ARE NOTED OVER THE SAMOA ISLANDS AT THE PRESENT TIME. MODELS SUGGEST THE SHEAR LINE WILL SHIFT NORTHWARD SLOWLY AND MAY BRING SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO MANUA AND TUTUILA AND POSSIBLY UPOLU AND SAVAII TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. LIGHT, VARIABLE WINDS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. A NORTH NORTHWEST SWELL NEAR 5 FEET WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A SOUTH SOUTHEAST SWELL AROUND 6 FEET WILL ARRIVE EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY. OUTLOOK FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... LIGHT WINDS WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY BEFORE A RIDGE BUILDS NORTH OF THE ISLANDS AND BRINGS IN 5 TO 10 KNOT NORTH WINDS FRIDAY. THE NORTH WINDS WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS THE RIDGE MOVES SOUTH OF SAMOA AND WINDS BECOME LIGHT, EASTERLY ON SATURDAY. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY DRY. MODELS SUGGEST INCREASING CLOUDS AND SHOWERS SATURDAY BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO AN ORGANIZED WEATHER SYSTEM. NARRATIVE DISCUSSION FOR TUVALU TODAY AND THURSDAY...TUVALU TIME... A TROUGH JUST SOUTHWEST OF TUVALU WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH THURSDAY. ISOLATED HEAVY CONVECTION IS LOCATED ALONG THE TROUGH WHILE GENERALLY FAIR SKIES PREVAIL OVER TUVALU. SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS BUT THE HEAVIEST WEATHER WILL MOSTLY REMAIN WEST OF TUVALU. LIGHT, VARIABLE WINDS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Maui
- When
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 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
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, North and East Hawaii
- When
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 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
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, West Hawaii
- When
- March 2, 6:00 AM HST to March 3, 7:00 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
- Flash Flooding and Avalanche in California, March 2 to 3, 2004
- Winter Weather in Colorado, March 2 to 3, 2004
- Winter Weather in Colorado, March 2 to 3, 2004
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, March 2, 2004
- Flash Flood in California, March 2, 2004
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, March 2, 2004
- Funnel Cloud in California, March 2, 2004
- Flood in Michigan, March 2 to 4, 2004
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, March 2, 2004
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, March 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: 5431180, 5431181, 5431182, 5431183, 5431184, 5431185.