High Surf, Kahoolawe
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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 in Hawaii, January 15 to 20, 2005
A deep storm low far northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 20 to 40 feet along the north and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui, and 10 to 25 feet along the west-facing shores of Lanai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island. Officials on several islands closed some of the affected beaches for a time because of the dangers posed by the high surf.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
- 14
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 deep storm low far northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 20 to 40 feet along the north and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui, and 10 to 25 feet along the west-facing shores of Lanai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island. Officials on several islands closed some of the affected beaches for a time because of the dangers posed by the high surf. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
14 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Kona
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Lanai Makai forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Maui Central Valley
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Molokai Windward
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Niihau
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Surf, Oahu North Shore
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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, Waianae Coast
- When
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- January 15, 6:00 PM HST to January 20, 2:00 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
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 15 to 18, 2005
- Cold in Minnesota, January 15, 2005
- Winter Storm in Oregon, January 15 to 18, 2005
- Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, January 15 to 18, 2005
- Winter Storm in Washington, January 15 to 18, 2005
- Flooding in Illinois, January 15 to 20, 2005
- Winter Storm in Oregon, January 15, 2005
- Flooding in Pennsylvania, January 15 to 16, 2005
- Flood in Pennsylvania, January 15, 2005
- Flood in Pennsylvania, January 15, 2005
- Flood in Michigan, January 15 to 20, 2005
- High Surf in Florida, January 15 to 16, 2005
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 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: 5435261, 5435262, 5435263, 5435264, 5435265, 5435266, 5435267, 5435268, 5435269, 5435270, 5435271, 5435272, 5435273, 5435274.