High Surf in Hawaii, April 29 to 30, 2005

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, April 29 to 30, 2005
Start: 2005-04-29T06:00
End: 2005-04-30T20:00
Location: Hawaii

April 29 to 30, 2005 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A low northwest of the islands caused surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai; and a series of lows in the southern hemisphere generated surf of 4 to 8 feet along the south-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Maui, and the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 13

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 Apr 29, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 29, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST FRI APR 29 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
REMNANT MOISTURE FROM A DISSIPATING FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED
SHOWERS TO MAUI AND PORTIONS OF THE BIG ISLAND TODAY. WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDING IN OVER THE STATE WILL KEEP WINDS LIGHT AND
VARIABLE THROUGH SUNDAY. ANOTHER WEAK FRONT MAY AFFECT KAUAI LATE
SUNDAY AND OAHU ON MONDAY...BRINGING WITH IT SOME SCATTERED LIGHT
SHOWERS. ANOTHER WEAK HIGH WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THIS FRONT KEEPING
WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A DISSIPATING FRONT LIES CENTERED ACROSS THE ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL.
RADAR INDICATES SHOWERS OVER MAUI AND PORTIONS OF THE BIG ISLAND.
THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO DISSIPATE THROUGH TODAY. WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE IS SLOWLY BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST BRINGING WITH IT
GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER. WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.

ANOTHER WEAK FRONT IS FORECAST TO REACH KAUAI LATE SUNDAY AND
POSSIBILITY OAHU MONDAY BEFORE DISSIPATING LIKE THE PRESENT FRONT.
THIS WILL BRING SOME INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND SHOWERS BUT WITH UPPER
LEVEL SUPPORT LACKING RAINFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD BE RATHER LIGHT WITH
SOME PLACES LIKELY REMAINING DRY.

THIS FRONT WILL AGAIN BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER WEAK AREA OF HIGH
PRESSURE KEEPING OUR WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE FAVORING LAND AND SEA
BREEZES. SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE WE SEE
TRADE WINDS RETURN.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

BURKE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kahoolawe forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kauai Windward

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kohala

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kohala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kona

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kona forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Leeward West forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Niihau forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Oahu South Shore

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Big Island

When: April 29, 6:00 AM HST to April 30, 8:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island 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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, April 2005

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: 5443302, 5443303, 5443304, 5443305, 5443306, 5443307, 5443308, 5443375, 5443376, 5443377, 5443378, 5443379, 5443380.