High Surf, Niihau
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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 in Hawaii, January 16 to 19, 2010
A large swell from a storm low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands produced surf of 15 to 40 feet, with higher sets, along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries, though waves…
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 15
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 large swell from a storm low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands produced surf of 15 to 40 feet, with higher sets, along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries, though waves did occasionally inundate a few roadways near the shores on the individual isles.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
15 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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 16, 4:00 PM 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 16, 4:00 PM 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 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Windward
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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 Central Valley
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Windward Haleakala
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Windward Haleakala forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Olomana
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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, Kona
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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, Big Island North and East
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM HST to January 19, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Big Island North and East forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kohala
- When
- January 16, 4:00 PM 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 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 2010
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 205049, 205050, 205051, 205052, 205053, 205054, 205055, 205056, 205057, 205058, 205059, 205060, 205061, 205062, 205063.