High Surf in Hawaii, February 15 to 17, 2005

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, February 15 to 17, 2005
Start: 2005-02-15T06:00
End: 2005-02-17T22:00
Location: Hawaii

February 15 to 17, 2005 · NWS HFO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A storm low far northwest of the state generated surf of 12 to 18 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu. No serious injuries or property damage 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: 12

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 Feb 15, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 15, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST TUE FEB 15 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
EXPECT TRADE WINDS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK...THANKS TO A HIGH PRESSURE
RIDGE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS. TRADE WIND SHOWERS WILL BE CONFINED TO
THE WINDWARD AND MAUKA SECTIONS...AND PRIMARILY DURING THE NIGHTS
AND MORNINGS.
&&

.DISCUSSION...
AN INCREASE IN STABLE CLOUD COVERAGE HAS OCCURRED OVERNIGHT. SUSPECT
MOST OF IT WILL BURN OFF SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. AS SUCH WILL LEAVE
THE SKIES MOSTLY SUNNY FOR MOST OF THE STATE.

THE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE FORECAST.
THE GENERAL PICTURE FOR THE NEXT WEEK IS A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE NORTH
OF THE ISLANDS...WHILE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS MOVE EAST AND PASS THE
MAIN ISLANDS NORTH OF THE RIDGE. THERE IS LITTLE CHANGE IN THE
MODELS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF RUNS...AND HAVE LEFT MOST OF THE
FORECAST ALONE.

THE GFS KEEPS INVERSION HEIGHTS NO HIGHER THAN 7000 FEET FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THIS AGREES WITH THE LATEST SOUNDINGS FROM HILO
AND LIHUE...AND WILL LIMIT THE VERTICAL GROWTH OF TRADE WIND CLOUDS.
WITH THE RIDGE TO THE NORTH...EXPECT TRADE WIND WEATHER TO PREVAIL.
NO BIG RAIN MAKERS ARE EXPECTED...AND ANY SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD BE
CONFINED TO THE WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS. AS THE LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEMS PASS NORTH OF THE RIDGE...THEY WILL LIKELY WEAKEN THE RIDGE
A BIT FROM TIME TO TIME THIS WEEK. AS SUCH...DON/T EXPECT MODERATE
TRADES EVERY DAY. MODERATE TRADES ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TOMORROW...
BUT THEN LOOK FOR A SLIGHT DROP IN WINDS THURSDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER
DROP IS EXPECTED NEXT WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
BUOY 1 SWELL HAS INCREASED OVERNIGHT. THE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BRING
MARGINAL ADVISORY LEVEL SURF TO NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF
NIIHAU...KAUAI AND OAHU AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI
TODAY. THIS SWELL IS EXPECTED TO DIP A BIT ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE BEING
REINFORCED BY A SECOND SWELL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A NORTHEAST SWELL IS
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE THURSDAY NIGHT...AND COULD REACH THE 8 FOOT
ADVISORY LEVEL FOR EAST FACING SHORES OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS. THIS
COULD CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR HARBOR SURGES IN PLACES LIKE KAHULUI
AND HILO HARBORS.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI AND
OAHU.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY NORTH FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI.
&&

M BALLARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 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: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Windward 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: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 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 Koolau

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu North Shore

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu North Shore forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Olomana

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Olomana forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Waianae Coast

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Waianae Coast forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: February 15, 6:00 AM HST to February 17, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala 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, February 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: 5441543, 5441544, 5441545, 5441546, 5441547, 5441548, 5441549, 5441550, 5441551, 5441552, 5441553, 5441554.