High Surf in Hawaii, March 11 to 13, 2008

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, March 11 to 13, 2008
Start: 2008-03-11T22:00
End: 2008-03-13T02:00
Location: Hawaii

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

A strong low northwest of the Hawaiian Islands generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 12 to 18 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 Mar 11, 9:30 PM HST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 11, 9:30 PM HST, 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
930 PM HST TUE MAR 11 2008

CORRECTED TO CLARIFY HIGH SURF ADVISORY AREAS

.SYNOPSIS...
TRADES WINDS CONTINUE TO FILL IN TO THE ISLANDS FROM EAST TO
WEST...AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN THROUGH THE WEEK. THE TRADES
WILL BRING INCREASED RAINFALL OVER MAINLY WINDWARD AND MAUKA
AREAS.
&&

.DISCUSSION...
NO BIG CHANGES THIS EVENING. A DYING FRONT NORTHWEST OF KAUAI HELPED
TO PUSH THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE ISLANDS THE LAST COUPLE OF
DAYS TO THE EAST. WITH THE HIGH OFF TO THE EAST...TRADE WINDS HAVE
STARTED TO RETURN TO THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. THE MODELS ARE IN
GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE FRONT CONTINUING TO DIE OUT OVER THE NEXT 24
HOURS WITH LITTLE...IF ANY...FORWARD MOVEMENT.

A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BEHIND THE FRONT WILL THEN MOVE TO THE EAST
AND WILL BE THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK
AND INTO THE WEEKEND. AS THIS NEXT HIGH MOVES NORTH OF THE ISLANDS
THURSDAY...EXPECT TRADE WINDS TO START TO INCREASE. WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. WITH THE
TRADE WINDS RETURNING...WE/LL SEE A RETURN TO THE MORE TYPICAL
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS OVER THE WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS.

IT/S STILL PLENTY EARLY...BUT THE MODELS SHOW THE NEXT FRONT
APPROACHING THE ISLANDS FROM THE NORTHWEST ON SUNDAY. RIGHT
NOW...THE MODELS SHOW THE FRONT DYING BEFORE IT REACHES THE MAIN
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

&&

.MARINE...
THE NORTHWEST SWELL REACHED THE WAIMEA BAY BUOY A COUPLE HOURS AGO
AND IS REPORTING 5 FT 15 SECONDS THIS EVENING. BASED ON THE REPORTS
FROM BUOY 1...AM EXPECTING TO SEE THE WAIMEA BAY BUOY TO RISE JUST A
LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY
CONTINUES FOR NORTH FACING SHORES FROM KAUAI TO MAUI...AND WEST
FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI AND OAHU. SURF WILL RISE TONIGHT AND
IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI OAHU
MOLOKAI AND MAUI.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI AND OAHU.

&&

MBALLARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 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: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 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, Waianae Coast

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM 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: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM 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: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 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: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: March 11, 10:00 PM HST to March 13, 2:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala 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, March 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: 83856, 83857, 83858, 83859, 83860, 83861, 83862, 83863, 83864, 83865, 83866.