High Surf in Hawaii, August 9 to 11, 2009

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, August 9 to 11, 2009
Start: 2009-08-09T09:00
End: 2009-08-11T20:00
Location: Hawaii

August 9 to 11, 2009 · NWS HFO · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A swell from Tropical Storm Felicia produced surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of all the islands except Lanai. No significant property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: 10

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 swell from Tropical Storm Felicia produced surf of 6 to 10 feet along the east-facing shores of all the islands except Lanai. No significant property damage or injuries were reported.

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 Aug 9, 4:30 AM HST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 9, 4:30 AM HST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
430 AM HST SUN AUG 9 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS WILL SUSTAIN MODERATE TRADE
WINDS THROUGH TODAY. TROPICAL CYCLONE FELICIA WILL WEAKEN AS IT
MOVES WESTWARD TOWARD THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. FELICIA COULD BE A
TROPICAL STORM OR TROPICAL DEPRESSION...BOTH BRINGING HEAVY RAINFALL
AND STRONG WINDS MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
NO CHANGE IN THE FORECAST THROUGH TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE FAR TO THE
NORTH WILL PROVIDE MODERATE TRADE WINDS. THE ATMOSPHERE IS PRESENTLY
QUITE STABLE AS INDICATED BY A STRONG AND SOMEWHAT LOW SUBSIDENCE
INVERSION. WE CAN THEREFORE EXPECT MOSTLY LIGHT AND BRIEF SHOWERS
FAVORING WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS.

AT 5 AM HST...FELICIA WILL BE DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM...AND
WILL BE LOCATED ABOUT 600 MILES EAST OF HILO. FELICIA WILL BE MOVING
TO THE WEST AT ABOUT 15 MPH. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST FROM THE CENTRAL
PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER HAS FELICIA WEAKENING FURTHER OVER THE NEXT
48 HOURS. FELICIA COULD REACH THE STATE AS A TROPICAL STORM OR
TROPICAL DEPRESSION. REMEMBER HOWEVER THAT HEAVY FLOOD-PRODUCING
RAINS AND STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY FELICIA...WHETHER IT IS A
TROPICAL STORM OR A TROPICAL DEPRESSION. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
IMPROVE ON WEDNESDAY AS FELICIA MOVES WEST OF THE AREA.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU MONITOR THE FORECAST FOR FELICIA AND
DETERMINE NECESSARY ACTIONS IF FELICIA IMPACTS YOUR AREA. FOR
DETAILED INFORMATION ON FELICIA...PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST
ADVISORIES FROM THE CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER.

HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE STATE THROUGH
THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD. ONCE FELICIA MOVES WEST OF THE STATE
AROUND MID WEEK THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL AGAIN BE THE MAIN FEATURE
DRIVING OUR WEATHER. MODERATE TRADE WINDS ARE EXPECTED AT THAT TIME
WITH CLOUDS AND PASSING SHOWERS FAVORING WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS.

&&

.MARINE...CORRECTION
STRONGER WINDS...POTENTIALLY TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE...AND LARGE
SEAS ARE EXPECTED BY MONDAY AS FELICIA APPROACHES THE STATE FROM THE
EAST. THESE CONDITIONS COULD PERSIST INTO TUESDAY...WITH A
SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN WINDS AND SEAS EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY.

FORERUNNERS OF THE EASTERLY SWELL FROM FELICIA WILL REACH EAST
FACING SHORES OF THE ISLANDS THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE BIG ISLAND
BEING THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE THE RISING SWELL. SURF MAY RISE ABOVE
THE 8 FOOT ADVISORY LEVEL ALONG EAST FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI...MAUI
AND THE BIG ISLAND LATE TODAY...AND ABOVE THE 15 FOOT WARNING LEVEL
MONDAY. A HIGH SURF WARNING WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE HURRICANE LOCAL
STATEMENT/HLS. THE WARNING WILL NOT BE A STANDALONE PRODUCT. SEAS
ARE EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY DECLINE BY WEDNESDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
FOR MOLOKAI-LANAI-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI-BIG ISLAND.

TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR MOLOKAI-LANAI-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI-BIG ISLAND.

TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR KAIWI CHANNEL-MAUI COUNTY WINDWARD
WATERS-MAUI COUNTY LEEWARD WATERS-MAALAEA BAY-PAILOLO CHANNEL-
ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL-BIG ISLAND WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND LEEWARD
WATERS-BIG ISLAND SOUTHEAST 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

10 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 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: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu South Shore

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM 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: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 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, Windward Haleakala

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, South Big Island

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: August 9, 9:00 AM HST to August 11, 8:00 PM 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, August 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: 188882, 188883, 188884, 188885, 188886, 188887, 188888, 188889, 188890, 188891.