High Surf in Hawaii, September 18 to 20, 2006

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, September 18 to 20, 2006
Start: 2006-09-18T07:00
End: 2006-09-20T15:30
Location: Hawaii

September 18 to 20, 2006 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A strong low in the southern hemisphere east of New Zealand produced surf of 6 to 10 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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 Sep 18, 4:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 18, 4:00 AM HST, 3 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST MON SEP 18 2006

.SYNOPSIS...
TRADES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH MID WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE
FAR NORTH OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS MOVES EAST AND STRENGTHENS.
SHOWERS WILL MAINLY AFFECT WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS. AFTERNOON
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE LIKELY OVER THE LEEWARD SECTIONS OF
THE BIG ISLAND.
&&

.DISCUSSION...
NO SURPRISES THIS MORNING. WINDWARD AREAS SOME AN INCREASE IN
SHOWERS OVERNIGHT...AS IS TO BE EXPECTED WITH STRENGTHENING TRADE
WINDS.

LITTLE CHANGE HAS BEEN NOTED IN THE GFS RUNS OVERNIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. BEYOND THAT...SOME VERY MINOR DIFFERENCES START
SHOWING UP WITH A LOW FORMING NORTHWEST OF THE MAIN ISLANDS.
HOWEVER...THROUGHOUT THE WEEK...THE GFS KEEPS THE HIGH IN CONTROL.

THE HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS WILL BE THE DOMINATING FORCE
FOR THE WEEK. THE HIGH IS FAR NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS THIS
MORNING...AND IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE TO THE EAST THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. AS IT MOVES EAST AND STRENGTHENS...WE/LL SEE THE TRADE
WINDS INCREASE. BEYOND WEDNESDAY...THE HIGH IS FORECAST TO REMAIN
NEARLY STATIONARY WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH.

BOTH SOUNDINGS OVERNIGHT SHOW A VERY STRONG INVERSION. LIHUE/S
SOUNDING HAS THE INVERSION AROUND 7500 FEET...WHILE HILO/S IS AT
8500 FEET.

&&

.MARINE...
SURF ON SOUTH FACING SHORES IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT ADVISORY LEVELS
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE STRENGTHENING TRADE WINDS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THAT REMAINS POSTED FOR SELECT COASTAL
WATERS. SLIGHT NORTH SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE NORTH FACING
SHORES.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR SOUTH-FACING SHORES OF ALL ISLANDS.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR MAALAEA BAY...LEEWARD AND SOUTHEAST BIG
ISLAND WATERS...AND PAILOLO AND ALENUIHAHA CHANNELS.
&&

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, Big Island North and East

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kohala

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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, Molokai Leeward

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 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 South Shore

When: September 18, 7:00 AM HST to September 20, 3:30 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore 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, September 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: 5534365, 5534366, 5534367, 5534368, 5534369, 5534370, 5534371, 5534372, 5534373, 5534374, 5534375, 5534376, 5534377.