High Surf in Hawaii, January 2 to 7, 2005

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 2 to 7, 2005
Start: 2005-01-02T16:00
End: 2005-01-07T22:00
Location: Hawaii

January 2 to 7, 2005 · NWS HFO · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A deep low far northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north-facing shores, and 12 to 18 feet along the west-facing shores, of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Kahoolawe; and 6 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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: 16

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 Jan 2, 3:25 PM HST, 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 2, 3:25 PM HST, 35 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED SYNOPSIS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
325 PM HST SUN JAN 2 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
COOLER AND MUCH DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD SLOWLY SOUTH
ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY. A COLD FRONT OVER THE BIG
ISLAND EARLY THIS EVENING WILL SLOW DOWN...AND CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY
WEAKEN. LINGERING MOISTURE NEAR THE FRONT WILL KEEP SKIES RATHER
CLOUDY AND UNSETTLED NEAR THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH MONDAY. A SECONDARY
COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH TOWARD THE ISLANDS WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR
THURSDAY BRINGING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR KAUAI.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE SW TO NE ORIENTED COLD FRONT EXTENDS ACROSS THE ALENUIHAHA
CHANNEL AND WAS APPROACHING THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE BIG ISLAND AT
MID-AFTERNOON. THE RECENT MOVEMENT HAS BEEN TOWARD THE SE AT 11 KT.
THE MODELS INSIST THAT THIS FRONT WILL SLOW DRAMATICALLY...AND THE
MOS GUIDANCE NEVER BRINGS THE FRONT TO PHKO. HOWEVER...WE SEE NO
SIGN OF THIS YET AND HAVE INSTEAD FORECASTED THE WINDS TO SHIFT
AROUND TO NORTHERLY FOR THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE BIG ISLAND TONIGHT.

WITH COOL AND DRY AIR ADVECTING OVER THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FROM
THE NORTHWEST...EXPECT VERY LITTLE IF ANY RAINFALL OVER KAUAI AND
OAHU TONIGHT. HAVE DROPPED THE POPS BELOW THE ISOLATED CATEGORY FOR
THOSE ISLANDS. GRIDS CONTINUE TO REFLECT A GRADUAL FADING OF THE
SHOWER BAND ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT. ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
WILL LINGER WITH THIS FRONTAL BAND TO KEEP AT LEAST SCATTERED
SHOWERS IN FOR THE BIG ISLAND INTO MONDAY BEFORE IT FINALLY PUSHES
OFFSHORE.

ONE MORE SURGE OF COLD AIR ALOFT WILL PUSH SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE
ISLANDS EARLY THIS WEEK...AS THE UPPER LOW CURRENTLY TO THE NORTH
LIFTS OUT AND ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH DIGS IN BEHIND IT. CYCLOGENESIS
TO THE NORTH ON MONDAY WILL TIGHTEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE
ISLANDS...SO MODERATE WESTERLIES ARE EXPECTED. BE THE STEEPER LAPSE
RATES AND SOME INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE NORTH WILL
RESULT IN SCATTERED MAINLY LIGHT SHOWERS FOR KAUAI AND POSSIBLY
OAHU THROUGH MIDWEEK. A WEDGE OF DRIER AIR BEHIND THE CURRENT FRONT
WILL REMAIN OVER MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG ISLAND.

THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AS
A WEAK RIDGE TRIES TO GET ESTABLISHED OVER THE ISLANDS. THIS WILL
KEEP WINDS RATHER LIGHT FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK.

THE MODELS SHOW A SECONDARY COLD FRONT PUSHING SOUTH TOWARD KAUAI
BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT DOES NOT LOOK TOO IMPRESSIVE...MORE
OF A REINFORCING SHOT OF DRIER AIR. HAVE RAISED THE POPS JUST A BIT
FOR KAUAI WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE MODELS SHOW THIS
BOUNDARY WEAKENING BEFORE IT GETS MUCH FURTHER SOUTH. AS ALWAYS WITH
FRONTS GETTING TO OUR LATITUDE...THERE IS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT HOW FAR
SOUTH THE FRONT WILL ACTUALLY GET.

IF THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE CORRECT...WE MIGHT GET TRADES BACK
OVER THE ISLANDS BY NEXT FRIDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY N AND W FACING SHORES
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT BIG ISLAND SUMMITS ABOVE 13000 FT
HIGH WIND WARNING BIG ISLAND SUMMITS

&&

R BALLARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu North Shore

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 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, Waianae Coast

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kohala

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 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 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 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, Maui Windward West

When: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 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: January 2, 4:00 PM HST to January 7, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward 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, 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: 5435243, 5435244, 5435245, 5435246, 5435247, 5435248, 5436308, 5436309, 5436310, 5436311, 5436312, 5436313, 5436314, 5436315, 5436316, 5436317.