High Surf in Hawaii, January 27 to 31, 2008

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 27 to 31, 2008
Start: 2008-01-27T06:00
End: 2008-01-31T10:00
Location: Hawaii

January 27 to 31, 2008 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A strong low far northeast of the state, in combination with a trade wind swell, generated surf of 10 to 15 feet along the north and east facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. Water coming across the roadway forced officials to close Bayfront Highway in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii for a time on the 30th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 Jan 27, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 4:00 AM HST, 2 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST SUN JAN 27 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE STATE WILL ALLOW MODERATE LOCALLY STRONG
TRADE WINDS TO DOMINATE THROUGH THIS WEEK. PASSING TRADE SHOWERS
WILL FAVOR WINDWARD AND MAUKA SECTIONS...BUT A FEW WILL GET OVER TO
LEE AREAS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE WEATHER FEATURE OF THE WEEK WILL BE A RATHER LARGE SUBTROPICAL
HIGH TO OUR NORTH. THE HIGH WILL WANDER AROUND IN PLACE AND WILL
WEAKEN AND STRENGTHEN AT TIMES...BUT THE NET EFFECT ON THE ISLANDS
WILL BE MORE MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY STRONG TRADE WINDS.

A TROUGH ALOFT OVER THE STATE HAS LOWERED TEMPERATURES IN THE MID
AND UPPER LEVELS RESULTING IN A STEEP LAPSE RATE. THE UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY OF
THE SHOWERS SCOOTING ALONG IN THE LOW LEVEL TRADES. THERE WILL ALSO
BE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS IN THE BIG ISLAND PLUME LOCATED SOUTH OF THE
SMALLER ISLANDS.

PROGS AGREE THAT A LOW WILL FORM IN THE TROUGH OVER OR NEAR THE
ISLANDS TUESDAY AND LINGER THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. THE UPPER LOW MAY
RESULT IN ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE TRADE SHOWERS. THERE IS
NOTHING TO INDICATE THE LOW WILL TRIGGER THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
OVER THE STATE...BUT THAT COULD EASILY CHANGE AS WE APPROACH THE
MIDDLE OF THE WORKWEEK.

&&

.MARINE...
A SOMEWHAT RARE NORTHEAST SWELL WILL ARRIVE TODAY...PEAK THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...THEN LOWER MONDAY AND TUESDAY. THE SWELL
WILL ALSO CAUSE HARBOR SURGES IN THE KAHULUI AND HILO HARBORS. THE
SWELL WAS GENERATED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO BY GALE FORCE NORTH WINDS
BETWEEN THE HIGH TO OUR NORTH AND A LOW OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST.
THIS IS THE SAME LOW THAT IS CAUSING SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR
CALIFORNIA. SURF SHOULD BE IN THE 10 TO 15 FOOT RANGE...WHICH IS
ADVISORY LEVEL FOR NORTH FACING SHORES AND WARNING LEVEL FOR EAST
FACING SHORES. BECAUSE OF THE NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION OF THE
SWELL...PORTIONS OF VARIOUS NORTH SHORES WILL SEE LITTLE OR NONE OF
THE SWELL.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY FOR EAST FACING SHORES.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY FOR NORTH FACING SHORES.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM HST MONDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN
WATERS.

&&

CRAIG

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: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 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: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 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 Koolau

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM 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 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM 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: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, South Big Island

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: January 27, 6:00 AM HST to January 31, 10:00 AM 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 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 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: 71333, 71334, 71335, 71336, 71337, 71338, 71339, 71340, 71341, 71342, 71343, 71344, 71345.