High Surf in Hawaii, February 21 to 22, 2005

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, February 21 to 22, 2005
Start: 2005-02-21T06:00
End: 2005-02-22T12:00
Location: Hawaii

February 21 to 22, 2005 · NWS HFO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A storm low northwest of the Aloha State produced surf of 10 to 20 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, and Oahu. However, there were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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 21, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST MON FEB 21 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAKENING RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SINKING DOWN OVER THE NORTHERN
ISLANDS HAS WEAKENED OUR TRADE WIND FLOW. EXPECT LIGHT WINDS WITH
AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES THROUGH TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY LIGHT TO MODERATE
TRADES MIDWEEK. A WEAK SHEAR LINE LATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL
BRING A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SHOWERS BUT OTHERWISE GENERALLY FINE
WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
LATEST AVN MODEL RUN IS SUGGESTING A STRONGER FRONT MOVING DOWN OVER
THE ISLANDS NEXT WEEKEND. THIS IS AN ABRUPT DEPARTURE FROM EARLIER
MODEL RUNS AND HAS NOT BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE CURRENT FORECAST
PACKAGE. WILL AWAIT FUTURE MODEL RUN CONFIRMATION.

THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS HAS WEAKENED AND SHIFTED SOUTH CLOSE TO THE STATE. THIS HAS
REDUCED TRADE WIND FLOW OVER THE ISLANDS...AND WILL KEEP IT LIGHT
FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS. LOCAL SEA BREEZES WILL THUS DEVELOP DURING
THE AFTERNOONS. A RATHER STRONG TEMPERATURE INVERSION OVER THE
ISLANDS SHOULD KEEP ANY AFTERNOON CONVECTION SHALLOW TODAY...WITH
ONLY ISOLATED LIGHT MOUNTAIN SHOWERS POSSIBLE. CLOUD COVER UPWIND
OF THE ISLANDS HAS FILLED IN OVERNIGHT. BUT THIS CLOUD SHIELD IS
QUITE SHALLOW AND SHOULD BURN OFF DURING THE DAY...LEAVING MOSTLY
SUNNY WEATHER OVER MOST ISLAND AREAS AND CLEAR SKIES AGAIN TONIGHT.
THIS COMBINED WITH LOW DEW POINTS WILL ALLOW FOR RATHER COOL MORNING
LOWS TODAY AND ON TUESDAY. CURRENT MODELS ARE A BIT SLOWER WITH A
SHEAR LINE EXPECTED NEAR KAUAI TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT A SLIGHT INCREASE
IN ISLAND SHOWERS IS STILL LIKELY WITH THIS CLOUD BAND TUESDAY NIGHT
OVER KAUAI...AND PERHAPS ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR THE
OTHER ISLANDS.

&&

.LONG TERM...
EARLIER MODELS WERE SHOWING A MORE VIGOROUS FRONT BRINGING SOME
INCREASE IN SHOWERS AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...AND THIS
IS STILL THE TREND INCORPORATED INTO THE CURRENT FORECAST PACKAGE.
BUT THE LATEST AVN MODEL RUN IS SUGGESTING AN EVEN MORE VIGOROUS
FRONT THAT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE ISLANDS WITH A WIND SHIFT FROM
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHWEST OVER NEXT WEEKEND. THIS HAS BEEN DISCOUNTED
IN THIS PACKAGE...BUT FUTURE PROGNOSTICS WILL BE WATCHED FOR
CONFIRMATION OF THIS CHANGE IN THE FORECAST FOR LATER IN THE WEEK
AND THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
A NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PRODUCE ADVISORY LEVEL SURF ON NORTH AND
WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU...KAUAI...AND OAHU...AND ON NORTH
FACING SHORES ON MOLOKAI AND MAUI TODAY...POSSIBLY EXTENDING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SEE HIGH SURF ADVISORY PRODUCTS FOR GREATER
DETAIL.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL ISLANDS EXCEPT LANAI AND THE BIG ISLAND
THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS.

&&

FARRELL

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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: February 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: February 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: February 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: February 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu North Shore

When: February 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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 21, 6:00 AM HST to February 22, 12:00 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: 5441627, 5441628, 5441629, 5441630, 5441631, 5441632, 5441633, 5441634, 5441635, 5441636, 5441637, 5441638.