High Surf in Hawaii, September 13 to 15, 2007

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, September 13 to 15, 2007
Start: 2007-09-13T11:00
End: 2007-09-15T02:00
Location: Hawaii

September 13 to 15, 2007 · NWS HFO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A strong low southeast of New Zealand generated surf of 6 to 10 feet along the south 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; 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: 12

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 strong low southeast of New Zealand generated surf of 6 to 10 feet along the south shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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 13, 9:30 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 13, 9:30 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
930 AM HST THU SEP 13 2007

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED FAR NORTHEAST OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WILL
MAINTAIN MODERATE TRADE WINDS INTO NEXT WEEK. THE TRADE WINDS WILL
BRING SHOWERS TO THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS WITH A FEW OF THESE
SPILLING OVER TO THE LEEWARD COMMUNITIES.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE CURRENT LIGHT TO MODERATE TRADES WILL BE FIRMING UP TO MODERATE
STATEWIDE OVER THE WEEKEND AS A STRENGTHENING HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM
MOVES CLOSER TO THE ISLANDS. A LARGE SHOWERS AREA ASSOCIATED WITH A
TROUGH CONTINUES TO PRESS WESTWARD TOWARD THE BIG ISLAND. IT LOOKS
LIKE THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THIS AREA WILL CATCH WINDWARD BIG
ISLAND TONIGHT AND WINDWARD MAUI TOWARD DAY BREAK FRIDAY. THE
LEADING EDGE OF THE SHOWER AREA IS ROUGHLY 190 MILES EAST OF CAPE
KUMUKAHI...MOVING WEST AT 12 MPH.

WEATHER RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS PLENTY OF CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS OVER THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS AND ADJACENT WINDWARD
WATERS...MORE SO THAN PAST SEVERAL MORNINGS. SO THE SCATTERED
SHOWERS WILL LINGER A LITTLE LONGER THIS MORNING. THE TOPS OF THESE
SHOWERS ARE AROUND 10 THOUSAND FEET.

THE GFS MODEL HAS BACKED OFF ON THE STRENGTH OF THE HIGH NORTHEAST
OF THE ISLANDS FROM PREVIOUS RUNS...WITH THE MAX STRUGGLING TO REACH
1030 MILLIBARS WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE...WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE TRADES
WILL REACH SMALL CRAFT IN THE WATERS AROUND THE BIG ISLAND DURING
THIS FORECAST PACKAGE.

&&

.MARINE...
THE SOUTH SWELL IS A LITTLE INCONSISTENT JUDGING FROM BUOY DATA.
HE SURF IS TOPPING OUT AT 8 FEET THOUGH NOT AS CONSISTENT AS WE
WANT IT TO BE. THE SOUTH SWELL WILL BE A TAD SMALLER TOMORROW.
WILL CONTINUE WITH THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH FACING
SHORES.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM HST FRIDAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES.

&&

LAU

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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, Oahu South Shore

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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, Maui Leeward West

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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, Maui Central Valley

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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, South Big Island

When: September 13, 11:00 AM HST to September 15, 2:00 AM 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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, September 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: 55367, 55368, 55369, 55370, 55371, 55372, 55373, 55374, 55375, 55376, 55377, 55378.