Hawaii, 2009

High Surf in Hawaii, January 11 to 19, 2009

January 11 to 19, 2009 · NWS HFO · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A powerful low northwest of the state caused surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 8 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, and the Big Island. There were no serious injuries or property damage, though lifeguards kept busy helping surfers and swimmers that had been overwhelmed…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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
16

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 powerful low northwest of the state caused surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 8 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, and the Big Island. There were no serious injuries or property damage, though lifeguards kept busy helping surfers and swimmers that had been overwhelmed by the waves.

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 11, 4:00 AM HST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 4:00 AM HST, 1 hour before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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 Leeward West

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Maui Leeward 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 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
Where
Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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
January 11, 5:00 AM HST to January 19, 2:00 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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 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: 145645, 145646, 145647, 145648, 145649, 145650, 145651, 145652, 145653, 145654, 145655, 145656, 145657, 145659, 145660, 145661.