High Surf in Hawaii, December 21 to 25, 2006

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, December 21 to 25, 2006
Start: 2006-12-21T14:00
End: 2006-12-25T15:00
Location: Hawaii

December 21 to 25, 2006 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A deep low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores, and 10 to 16 feet along the west-facing shores, of all the isles except Lanai. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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: 13

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 Dec 21, 10:00 AM HST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 21, 10:00 AM HST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST THU DEC 21 2006

.SYNOPSIS...
TRADE WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH LIMITED SHOWER
ACTIVITY OVER MAINLY WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS.
&&

.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS THE CONTROLLING WEATHER FEATURE FOR THE
HOLIDAY WEEKEND. A SMALL SCREAMING EAGLE LOOK/A/LIKE MOVED QUICKLY
THROUGH THE ISLANDS LAST NIGHT...BRINGING SOME BRIEF RAIN SHOWERS.
THE VORTEX IS NOW SOUTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS...AND THE CLOUDS HAVE
DISSIPATED. A FEW SHOWERS REMAIN OVER THE WINDWARD SIDES OF THE
SMALLER ISLANDS.

MODEL RUNS HAVE OFFERED DIFFERENT FUTURE SHEAR LINE SCENARIOS FOR
THE ISLANDS BUT NONE WITH FIRM CONSISTENCY. ITS DIFFICULT TO SEE A
DETERMINED BREAK FROM OUR CURRENT DRY ZONAL PATTERN IN THE NEAR
TERM. WEAK SURFACE RIDGING TO OUR NORTH IS LIKELY TO LAST FOR A
NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE FORMING A HIGH STRONG ENOUGH TO PUSH A
VIGOROUS SHEAR LINE OUR WAY...LET ALONE DISSIPATE AND GIVE WAY TO
STORMY HIGH AMPLITUDE PATTERN.

&&

.MARINE...
THE ARRIVAL OF LARGE OPEN OCEAN SWELLS FROM THE NORTHWEST SHOULD
PRODUCE HIGH SURF ADVISORY CONDITIONS THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY.
&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY...NORTH AND WEST SHORES TIL 2 PM SUNDAY.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES...LARGE SEAS.
&&

M BALLARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Kauai Windward

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Waianae Coast

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Oahu North Shore

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Oahu Koolau

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Molokai Windward

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 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, Maui Central Valley

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: December 21, 2:00 PM HST to December 25, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Big Island North and East 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 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, December 2006

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: 6788, 6789, 6790, 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6795, 6796, 6797, 6798, 6799, 6800.