High Surf in Hawaii, April 1 to 2, 2009

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, April 1 to 2, 2009
Start: 2009-04-01T00:00
End: 2009-04-02T09:00
Location: Hawaii

April 1 to 2, 2009 · NWS HFO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A trade wind swell generated surf of 6 to 9 feet along the east-facing shores of all the isles except Lanai. No serious injuries or property damage were reported.

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.

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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 trade wind swell generated surf of 6 to 9 feet along the east-facing shores of all the isles except Lanai. No serious injuries or property damage were reported. This episode is a continuation of one that began on March 31st.

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 31, 7:40 PM HST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 7:40 PM HST, 4 hours 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
740 PM HST TUE MAR 31 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NORTH OF THE STATE THE NEXT FEW DAYS...
KEEPING TRADE WINDS QUITE BREEZY. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR
WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS...BUT MAY SPREAD LEEWARD FROM TIME TO TIME.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A COUPLE OF HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL KEEP THE BREEZY TRADE WINDS
LOCKED OVER THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS INTO THE WEEKEND. AS ONE HIGH
WEAKENS AND DEPARTS THURSDAY...ANOTHER ONE MOVES IN FOR THE WEEKEND.
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME INTO THE
WEEKEND. THUS WE EXPECT SHOWERS TO CONTINUE FAVORING THE WINDWARD
AND MOUNTAIN AREAS WITH A FEW OF THEM VENTURING INTO THE LEEWARD
SECTIONS FOR THE SMALLER ISLANDS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE SLIGHTLY
HIGHER FOR WINDWARD BIG ISLAND.

THE CURRENT TRADES WINDS ARE COMING FROM A HIGH PRESSURE CELL
LOCATED 1200 MILES NORTHEAST OF OAHU WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1038
MILLIBAR. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT A FEW MORE MILES WESTWARD DURING THE
NEXT 12 HOURS BEFORE STALLING THEN CARRIED AWAY BY AN APPROACHING
FRONT. WE MAY SEE A MINOR DROP IN THE TRADES LASTING FROM THURSDAY
NIGHT TO FRIDAY. THE TRADES THEN REGAIN ITS STRENGTH FRIDAY NIGHT AS
A NEW HIGH PRESSURE CELL MOVES TO A POSITION NORTH OF THE ISLANDS
WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1035 MILLIBAR.

FURTHER UP IN THE SKY...THE ISLANDS ARE BEING SHROUDED BY MAINLY
HIGH LEVEL CIRRUS CLOUDS. THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL
SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE ISLANDS FROM THE
SOUTHWEST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IT IS SLATED TO CLEARING THE
STATE BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

A DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TO THE WEST OF THE KAUAI DURING THE
SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK WILL BRING IN ANOTHER ROUND OF HIGH CIRRUS
CLOUDS TO THE ISLANDS AS EARLY AS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AS THE TROUGH
DEEPENS FURTHER...MID LAYER CLOUDS WILL KICK IN. WE EXPECT THE CLOUD
BASE TO LOWER TO 12 THOUSAND FEET...OR TO SUMMIT LEVEL OF THE BIG
ISLAND SATURDAY NIGHT.

DURING THIS PERIOD...THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION STAYS IN PLACE AT
AROUND 10 THOUSAND FEET. IN SHORT...THE WEEKEND WILL LIKELY BE
CLOUDY...WINDY WITH SCATTERED WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SHOWERS...A FEW
DRIFTING LEEWARD.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN
WATERS.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY FOR THE EAST FACING
SHORES OF ALL ISLANDS EXCEPT LANAI.

&&

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

12 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu South Shore

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 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: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 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 Windward West

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 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, Windward Haleakala

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, South Big Island

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 AM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: April 1, 12:00 AM HST to April 2, 9:00 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 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, April 2009

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: 158278, 158279, 158280, 158281, 158282, 158283, 158284, 158285, 158286, 158287, 158288, 158289.