High Surf in Hawaii, January 16 to 20, 2007

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 16 to 20, 2007
Start: 2007-01-16T13:00
End: 2007-01-20T12:00
Location: Hawaii

January 16 to 20, 2007 · NWS HFO · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A trade wind swell produced surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 trade wind swell produced surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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 Jan 16, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 16, 10:00 AM HST, 3 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST TUE JAN 16 2007

.SYNOPSIS...
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE STATE WILL PROVIDE LIGHT TO
MODERATE TRADE WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS THIS WEEK. CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS CARRIED BY THE WINDS WILL MAINLY AFFECT THE WINDWARD AND
MOUNTAIN AREAS OF THE ISLANDS. A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS MAY DRIFT OVER TO
THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS AT TIMES.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
BANDS OF CLOUDS WITH EMBEDDED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO AFFECT OUR ISLANDS
THIS MORNING. SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES MOST OF THE ISLANDS ARE IN
A SMALL BREAK BETWEEN CLOUD BANDS AT THIS TIME...THOUGH THERE IS
QUITE AN EXTENSIVE CLOUD FIELD JUST EAST OF THE ISLANDS. EXPECT MORE
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS TO AFFECT OUR AREA AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. HIGH
PRESSURE RIDGE ABOUT 400 MILES NORTH OF THE ISLANDS CONTINUE TO
BRING TRADE WIND WEATHER TO OUR AREA...WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADE
WINDS. THIS SURFACE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY TONIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY AS A FRONT TRAVERSE EAST FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS. THUS
EXPECT THE TRADE WINDS TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER
SURFACE HIGH WILL PASS FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
WITH TRADE WINDS INCREASING SLIGHTLY OVER OUR AREA IN RESPONSE.
LATEST FORECAST CHARTS STILL INDICATE THE HIGH WILL REMAIN FAR
NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS BY THE WEEKEND...WITH A SURFACE RIDGE
SAGGING CLOSER TO THE ISLANDS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. SHOULD SEE A
DECREASE OF TRADE WINDS BY THE WEEKEND...AND WINDS MAY SHIFT MORE
SOUTHEAST BY THE EARLY NEXT WORK WEEK.

IN SUMMARY...TRADE WIND WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH THIS
WEEK...WITH PASSING CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AFFECT OUR ISLANDS AT TIMES.
AIR MASS IS TO REMAIN STABLE...SO NO HEAVY PRECIPITATION IS
EXPECTED. PREVIOUS PACKAGE IS ON TRACK.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE KAUAI NORTHWEST
WATERS AND OAHU LEEWARD WATERS...AS WELL AS THE KAUAI...KAIWI AND
PAILOLO CHANNELS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH TONIGHT FOR MAALAEA BAY...ALENUIHAHA
CHANNEL AND THE SOUTH BIG ISLAND WATERS.

&&

HUI

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Kauai Windward

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu South Shore

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 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: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, South Big Island

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: January 16, 1:00 PM HST to January 20, 12:00 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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 2007

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: 7869, 7870, 7871, 7872, 7873, 7874, 7875.