High Surf in Hawaii, September 14 to 17, 2005

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, September 14 to 17, 2005
Start: 2005-09-14T04:00
End: 2005-09-17T10:00
Location: Hawaii

September 14 to 17, 2005 · NWS HFO · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

A deep storm low east of New Zealand generated surf of 8 to 15 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. The high surf damaged one small boat and destroyed two others in Maui.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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 east of New Zealand generated surf of 8 to 15 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. The high surf damaged one small boat and destroyed two others in Maui. A few roads were closed for a time near Kihei in south central Maui as well. On Oahu, lifeguards performed over 100 rescues, and they assisted more than 275 swimmers and surfers. One of those rescued at Waikiki Beach suffered a broken leg. No damage estimates were available.

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 Sep 14, 4:00 AM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 14, 4:00 AM HST, 0 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST WED SEP 14 2005

.SYNOPSIS...WETTER TRADE WIND SHOWERS THRU TOMORROW. ALSO HIGH
 SURF ALONG SOUTH SHORES THRU TOMORROW.

&&

.DISCUSSION...PORTIONS OF THE MOIST AIR MASS THAT MOVED OVER THE
 BIG ISLAND YESTERDAY ALSO TOUCHED EAST MAUI AND NORTH KAUAI LAST
 NIGHT. SHORT TERM FLOOD ADVISORIES WERE ISSUED FOR THESE AREAS AS
 WELL AS FOR EAST BIG ISLAND. THE MEETING OF A WEAK UPPER LEVEL
 TROUGH WEST OF KAUAI AND THE INCOMING SEMITROPICAL MOISTURE FROM
 THE EAST RESULTED IN LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL. THIS UNCOMMON
 SUMMER RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO LAST THRU TOMORROW. THEN A MORE
 STABLE FEATURE...A RIDGE ALOFT...IS PROJECTED TO POSITION ITSELF
 OVER THE STATE. THE GFS MODEL ALSO DIMINISHES RAINFALL BY FRIDAY.

 TRADE WIND SPEEDS SHOULD CONTINUE OVER THEIR NORM UNTIL THE HIGH
 CELL TO THE NORTH WEAKENS. MODERATE TRADE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
 RETURN SUNDAY/MONDAY.

&&

.MARINE...SOUTH SHORES WILL BE SEEING THEIR SURF WHICH BEGAN
 YESTERDAY PEAKING TO 16 FEET TODAY AND TOMORROW.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LARGE OPEN OCEAN SWELLS
 HIGH SURF WARNING...SOUTH FACING SHORES

&&

MATSUDA

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Big Island

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Waianae Coast

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kohala

When: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM 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: September 14, 4:00 AM HST to September 17, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kona forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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, September 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: 5475563, 5475564, 5475565, 5475566, 5475567, 5475568, 5475569, 5475570, 5475571, 5475572, 5475573, 5476087, 5476088, 5476089, 5476090, 5476091, 5476092.