High Surf in Hawaii, November 25 to 28, 2009

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, November 25 to 28, 2009
Start: 2009-11-25T01:00
End: 2009-11-28T06:00
Location: Hawaii

November 25 to 28, 2009 · NWS HFO · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A swell from a storm low far northwest of Hawaii generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 15 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.

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 Nov 24, 8:38 PM HST, 4 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 24, 8:38 PM HST, 4 hours 22 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
838 PM HST TUE NOV 24 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING NORTH OF THE ISLANDS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN TRADE WINDS. TRADE WINDS WILL THEN REMAIN
QUITE BREEZY INTO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THE INCREASED TRADE WINDS
WILL ALSO BRING AN END TO THE DRY WEATHER OF THE PAST TWO DAYS...
WITH TRADE SHOWERS INCREASING...ESPECIALLY OVER WINDWARD AND MAUKA
AREAS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
REGIONAL SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE LEADING EDGE OF A FRONTAL CLOUD
BAND ABOUT 250 MILES NORTHWEST OF KAUAI THIS EVENING...MOVING
SOUTHEAST NEAR 10 MPH. EAST OF THE ISLANDS...LOW CLOUDS APPROACHING
THE ISLANDS IN A MODERATE TRADE WIND FLOW HAVE INCREASED IN COVERAGE
OVER THE PAST 6 TO 12 HOURS...BUT THEIR COVERAGE IMMEDIATELY
UPSTREAM OF THE ISLANDS IS STILL RATHER MEAGER. SO A PRETTY QUIET
NIGHT IN STORE...WITH JUST A FEW PASSING WINDWARD SHOWERS.

THE FRONT TO THE NORTHWEST IS NOT EXPECTED TO REACH THE ISLANDS.
AS A HIGH PRESSURE CELL NORTH OF THE FRONT MOVES RATHER QUICKLY TO
THE EAST...THE FRONT/S MOISTURE SHOULD REMAIN ALONG 25N...NORTH OF
KAUAI. THE HIGH PASSING WELL NORTH OF THE ISLANDS WILL TIGHTEN THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE ISLANDS ON WEDNESDAY...AND TRADE WINDS
WILL INCREASE. TRADE WINDS WILL REMAIN ON THE BREEZY SIDE INTO THE
WEEKEND...AS THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND ESTABLISHES ITSELF IN A
CLIMATOLOGICAL POSITION FAR NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS.

A MID-LEVEL RIDGE CURRENTLY OVER THE ISLANDS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN
OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AS A MID- AND UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH DROPPING
DOWN FROM THE NORTHWEST SHARPENS OVER THE ISLANDS FROM WEDNESDAY
NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...BEFORE DISSIPATING AND MOVING EAST THIS
WEEKEND. EXPECT THAT THIS TROUGH WILL SLIGHTLY DESTABILIZE THE
AIR MASS RESULTING IN WEAKER SUBSIDENCE AND A DEEPER MARINE
LAYER...WHICH IN TURN WILL LIKELY BRING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER
AND INTENSITY OF TRADE SHOWERS...WITH THE SHOWERS SPREADING SOME
LIMITED MOISTURE LEEWARD IN THE INCREASED TRADE FLOW.

THE EXTENDED PICTURE IS SIMILAR TO THAT EXPRESSED IN THE EARLIER
DISCUSSION...IN THAT GLOBAL MODELS ARE SUGGESTING THAT A COLD
FRONT...OR SHEAR LINE...WILL MOVE ACROSS THE ISLANDS SUNDAY AND/OR
MONDAY...WITH STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS ACCOMPANYING THE BOUNDARY. WE
WILL GET A BETTER FEEL FOR THIS SYSTEM IN A FEW DAYS.

&&

.MARINE...
FORERUNNERS OF THE ANTICIPATED LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL ARE BUILDING AT
BUOYS 51101 AND 51001 TO THE NORTHWEST OF KAUAI THIS EVENING...AND
WE ARE STILL EXPECTING SURF TO RISE RAPIDLY EARLY WEDNESDAY ALONG
NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES. A HIGH SURF WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI OAHU AND MOLOKAI...AND
FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI. WITH THE SWELL CENTERED ALONG 320
DEGREES...MOST OF THE SWELL/S ENERGY WILL BE BLOCKED FROM REACHING
THE BIG ISLAND...BUT SOME INCREASE IN SURF IS EXPECTED ALONG THE
KONA SIDE. SURF MAY APPROACH ADVISORY CRITERIA ALONG THE BIG
ISLAND/S WEST FACING SHORES...WHICH IS 8 FEET...AND BUOY DATA WILL
BE MONITORED OVERNIGHT TO DEEM IT/S NECESSITY. THE SWELL WILL PEAK
WEDNESDAY THEN SLOWLY DECREASE...BUT SURF HEIGHTS WILL LIKELY REMAIN
NEAR OR ABOVE ADVISORY THRESHOLDS THROUGH FRIDAY.

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR BOTH THE LARGE NORTHWEST
SWELL AND FOR INCREASING TRADE WINDS.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS.

HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI
OAHU AND MOLOKAI...AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI.

&&

BIRCHARD

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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: November 25, 1:00 AM HST to November 28, 6:00 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 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, November 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: 199540, 199541, 199542, 199543, 199544, 199545, 199546, 199547, 199548, 199549, 199550.