High Surf in Hawaii, February 11 to 15, 2008

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, February 11 to 15, 2008
Start: 2008-02-11T08:00
End: 2008-02-15T22:00
Location: Hawaii

February 11 to 15, 2008 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A powerful low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands produced surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 10 to 20 feet along the west facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, 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; 7 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 Feb 11, 3:20 AM HST, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 11, 3:20 AM HST, 4 hours 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
320 AM HST MON FEB 11 2008

.UPDATE...
THE WINDS AT THE SUMMITS OF THE BIG ISLAND ARE BLOWING JUST BELOW
ADVISORY CRITERIA OF 30 MILES AN HOUR. GFS MODEL PROJECTION HAS THE
WINDS NEAR 30 THROUGH THIS MORNING...TAPERING OFF THIS AFTERNOON.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SENSORS THERE.

&&
.SYNOPSIS...
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN LIGHT TO
MODERATE TRADE WINDS THROUGH THE NEW WORK WEEK WITH SHOWERS FAVORING
THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS. THE TRADES WILL GIVE WAY TO LIGHT
SOUTHEAST WINDS OVER THE WEEKEND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHT
THROUGH OUT THE WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
RIDGING ALOFT WILL AID IN SUPPRESSING AND LIMITING THE TRADE WIND
SHOWERS WHILE A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MAINTAIN A COMFORTABLE TRADE
WIND BREEZE ACROSS HAWAII NEI THROUGH FRIDAY. UNDER THIS
REGIME...LOOK FOR THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS TO GET MOST OF THE
SHOWERS WITH LIGHT RAINFALL TOTALS. THE STRENGTH OF THE TRADES WILL
BE LIMITED TO MODERATE AT MOST DUE TO THE SURFACE RIDGE BEING ONLY A
COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILES NORTH OF KAUAI. A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS
PASSING FAR NORTH WILL KEEP THE RIDGE FROM VENTURING TOO FAR AWAY
FROM THE ISLANDS. THE TRADES WILL LIKELY BE STRONGEST WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY AS A 1023 MILLIBAR SURFACE HIGH PASSES
NORTH OF THE ISLANDS. FROM THAT POINT ON THE WINDS TURNS LIGHTER AND
THE DIRECTION BECOME MORE EAST TO SOUTHEAST SATURDAY AND SOUTHEAST
TO SOUTH SUNDAY. IN OTHER WORDS THE RIDGE NORTH OF THE ISLANDS WILL
SETTLE OVER THE KAUAI END OF THE STATE. THE COMFORT LEVEL MAY NOT BE
AS GOOD WITH THE SOUTHEAST WINDS BRINGING IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER
HUMIDITIES WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE VOG. RIDGING ALOFT WILL
CONTINUE STRONG THUS LIMITING THE SHOWER ACTIVITY. BOTH ECMWF AND
GFS MODEL SOLUTIONS SUPPORT THIS TREND.

SO FAR THE WEATHER IS BEHAVING QUITE NICELY WITH A FEW MOSTLY LIGHT
SHOWERS PEPPERING THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS. HILO AREA OF
THE BIG ISLAND HAS BEEN THE WETTEST AT 13 HUNDREDTH OF AN INCH
RECORDED AT PAHOA AND A TENTH AT WAIAKE UKA. WEATHER RADAR IS
CURRENTLY SHOWING A NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST BAND OF SHOWERS MOVING
SOUTHWEST...PARALLEL TO THE COASTLINE. A COUPLE OF THE SHOWERS ARE
SPILLING ACROSS PUNA DISTRICT.

&&

.MARINE...
THE FORE RUNNERS FROM THE NORTHWEST SWELL IS HERE WITH SWELL HEIGHTS
OF 5 FEET AND PERIOD OF 18 SECONDS THIS HOUR. THE NEXT NORTHWEST
SWELL WILL BE LARGER THAN THIS ONE...AND IS SLATED TO ARRIVE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS...FROM A STRENGTHENING
STORM SYSTEM JUST WEST OF THE DATELINE. THIS SWELL WILL KEEP SURF
HIGH THROUGH FRIDAY.
&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI AND
OAHU...AND NORTH SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND MAUI...TILL EARLY WEDNESDAY
MORNING.

&&

H. LAU

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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 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, Kohala

When: February 11, 8:00 AM HST to February 15, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kohala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, February 2008

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: 77344, 77345, 77346, 77347, 77348, 77349, 77350, 77351, 77352, 77353, 77354, 77356, 77357.