Hawaii, 2005

High Surf in Hawaii, September 30, 2005

September 30, 2005 · NWS HFO · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A swell produced from Tropical Storm Kenneth east of the state generated surf of 8 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 swell produced from Tropical Storm Kenneth east of the state generated surf of 8 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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 30, 4:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 4:00 AM HST, 3 hours before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST FRI SEP 30 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
A WET FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND IS IN STORE FOR THE 50TH STATE AS
THE REMNANTS OF KENNETH INTERACTS WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW. HEAVY
SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ON THE BIG ISLAND
FRIDAY AND THE REST OF THE STATE SATURDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
SO FAR THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK FOR A WET EPISODE COMMENCING TODAY
FOR THE BIG ISLAND AND THE REST OF THE STATE SATURDAY. THIS IS IN
LIGHT OF THE MOISTURE FROM KENNETH INTERACTING WITH A COLD UPPER
LEVEL LOW THAT IS CURRENTLY 390 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF HILO. THE
LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE
SATURDAY.

AS OF 2 AM HST TROPICAL DEPRESSION KENNETH IS ABOUT 125 MILES EAST
OF HILO...MOVING WEST AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR...AND CONTINUES TO
FALL APART. THE TIME OF IT CROSSING THE BIG ISLAND HAS SPED UP FROM
THIS EVENING TO TODAY.

WITH THE TWO FEATURES IN PLAY...THE RESULT IS FOR SOME HEAVY SHOWERS
AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS. HAVE INCLUDING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
OVER THE WINDWARD WATERS OF THE BIG ISLAND AND MAUI COUNTY FOR THIS
AFTERNOON. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MAIN HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS. SOME IMPROVEMENTS ARE TAP FOR SUNDAY WITH MORE NORMAL TRADE
WIND WEATHER RETURNING NEXT WEEK.

CURRENTLY ALL ISLANDS ARE EXPERIENCING SCATTERED SHOWERS ESPECIALLY
OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND WINDWARD COMMUNITIES. THE SMALLER ISLANDS
ESPECIALLY OAHU AND MOLOKAI HAD A GOOD SOAKING AS SEVERAL ENHANCED
RAIN BANDS MOVED THROUGH. THE WINDWARD BIG ISLAND HAS BEEN
RELATIVELY QUIET BUT THE SHOWERS SHOULD BE PICKING TOWARDS
MID-MORNING AS KENNETH DRAWS NEARER.

&&

.MARINE...
HAVE SLAPPED OUT A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE EAST FACING SHORES OF
ALL ISLANDS WITH ABOVE NORMAL SWELL ASSOCIATED WITH KENNETH. SURF
UP TO 10 FEET IS POSSIBLE FOR THE WINDWARD SHORES OF THE SMALLER
ISLANDS...WHILE SURF TO 8 FEET IS EXPECTED FOR THE BIG ISLANDS
HAMAKUA AND PUNA COAST.

&&
.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THROUGH SATURDAY.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY EAST FACING SHORES ALL ISLANDS THROUGH SATURDAY.
&&

LAU

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 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 Windward

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 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 Windward

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Oahu South Shore

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Olomana

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 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, South Big Island

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where
South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When
September 30, 7:00 AM HST to 11:59 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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5475592, 5475593, 5475594, 5475595, 5475659, 5475939, 5475940, 5475941, 5475942, 5475943, 5475944.