High Surf in Hawaii, September 7 to 8, 2006

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, September 7 to 8, 2006
Start: 2006-09-07T08:00
End: 2006-09-08T15:00
Location: Hawaii

September 7 to 8, 2006 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A deep low in the southern hemisphere east of New Zealand generated surf of 6 to 10 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 7, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 7, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST THU SEP 7 2006

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE FAR NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS WILL PROVIDE MODERATE
TRADE WINDS INTO THE WEEKEND. PASSING SHOWERS AND CLOUDS WILL AFFECT
OUR AREA AT TIMES...MAINLY WINDWARD AND MOUNTAINS.  A HIGH PRESSURE
RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE CLOSER TO OUR AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK...
RESULTING IN A DECREASE OF WINDS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
LAST NIGHTS CLOUDINESS CONTINUE TO LINGER INTO EARLY THIS MORNING.
MORNING SOUNDINGS REVEAL DEEP LOW LEVEL MOISTURE UP TO 12K FEET.
SURE LOOKS LIKE THERE IS SOME ENHANCEMENT DUE TO UPPER LEVEL
SUPPORT...THOUGH IT IS HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY DEFINITE UPPER LEVEL
FEATURE FROM THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. FORECAST CHARTS INDICATE
SLIGHTLY LESS MOISTURE LATER TODAY. THUS HAVE INCREASED CLOUDINESS
AND SHOWERS FOR THIS MORNING FOR OUR AREA...WITH A CLEARING TREND
FOR MOST PLACES BY THE AFTERNOON.

HIGH PRESSURE FAR NORTHEAST OF THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE WEST
SOUTHWESTWARD IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS...AND STAY NORTH OUR AREA. THIS
WILL RESULT IN A SLIGHT INCREASE OF TRADE WINDS. THIS HIGH IS
EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK...MAINTAINING
MODERATE TRADE WINDS AS WELL. LOOK FOR MORE TYPICAL TRADE WIND
WEATHER TO PREVAIL LATER TODAY AS FORECAST CHARTS INDICATE AIR MASS
IS TO REMAIN STABLE. PASSING CLOUDS AND SHOWERS EMBEDDED IN THE
TRADE WINDS WILL FAVOR MAINLY THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SECTIONS.

LATEST FORECAST CHARTS STILL INDICATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE
LOW PRESSURE TROUGH FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. IT
WILL PUSH A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE CLOSER TO THE ISLANDS...RESULTING IN
LIGHTER WINDS. DEPENDS ON HOW CLOSE THIS RIDGE WILL GET...THE WINDS
MAY POSSIBLY EVEN TURN MORE SOUTHEASTERLY OVER OUR AREA. HAVE
CONTINUED THE WEAKER WIND SCENARIO FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK IN THIS
PACKAGE...BUT HAVE KEPT WINDS MAINLY EAST FOR NOW.

&&

.MARINE...
SOUTH SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT OUR ISLANDS THROUGH
FRIDAY...THOUGH SURF HEIGHTS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY LEVEL OF
8 FEET FOR THE SOUTH FACING SHORES.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

HUI

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 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 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: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 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, Kauai Windward

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Kona

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 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: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 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, Molokai Leeward

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, Niihau

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 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, Oahu South Shore

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Surf, South Big Island

When: September 7, 8:00 AM HST to September 8, 3:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island 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: 5534352, 5534353, 5534354, 5534355, 5534356, 5534357, 5534358, 5534359, 5534360, 5534361, 5534362, 5534363, 5534364.