High Surf in Hawaii, March 1 to 3, 2010

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, March 1 to 3, 2010
Start: 2010-03-01T02:00
End: 2010-03-03T11:00
Location: Hawaii

March 1 to 3, 2010 · NWS HFO · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

A swell from a powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State generated surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii; 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai; and 6 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

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 Feb 28, 8:50 PM HST, 5 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 8:50 PM HST, 5 hours 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
850 PM HST SUN FEB 28 2010

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH OF THE STATE WILL BRING STRONG TRADES TO
THE ISLANDS THROUGH MONDAY. THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN A BIT
ON TUESDAY...BUT STAY BREEZY THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS WILL TEND TO FAVOR SELECT WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS...WITH
MORE SHOWERS EXPECTED DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
CLOUDS REMAIN OVER THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AS A RESULT OF A DYING
FRONT NEARBY. THE HIGH PRESSURE NORTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS IS EXPECTED
TO CONTINUE TO BUILD AND MOVE EASTWARD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE FRONT AND THE HIGH HAVE
RESULTED IN THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS BEING FELT ACROSS THE ISLANDS
TONIGHT. WE ARE EXPECTING THESE WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY. AS
THE HIGH BEGINS TO MOVE TO A MORE NORTH POSITION FROM THE ISLANDS ON
TUESDAY...WE SHOULD START TO SEE THE WIND SPEEDS BACK OFF A BIT.
THAT BEING SAID...WINDS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH THE END OF THE
WEEK.

DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK...THE GFS SHOWS AN INCREASE IN
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE RIDING IN ON THE TRADES. AS SUCH...THERE WILL BE
MORE SHOWERS DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK.

THE SHORT TERM GRIDS APPEAR TO BE IN LINE SO DO NOT ANTICIPATE AN
UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TONIGHT. WILL LIKELY BE TWEAKING THE LONGER
RANGE GRIDS FOR THE 4 AM PACKAGE.

&&

.MARINE...
BUOY 51101 INDICATES SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS OF 15 FEET WITH A
PERIOD OF AROUND 16 SECONDS. NIIHAU AND KAUAI ARE LIKELY SEEING A
RAPID RISE AT THE PRESENT TIME WITH LONG PERIOD FORERUNNERS LIKELY
BEING EXPERIENCED ON OAHU AS WELL. THIS SWELL WILL PEAK ON MONDAY
THEN GRADUALLY LOWER INTO MID WEEK. THE INITIAL DIRECTION WILL BE
FROM AROUND 320 DEGREES BUT WILL SLOWLY SWING AROUND TO A MORE
NORTHERLY DIRECTION WITH TIME.

TRADE WINDS WILL REMAIN QUITE STRONG FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH
THE STRONGEST WINDS EXPECTED IN THE CHANNELS AND WELL AS NEAR
EXPOSED HEADLANDS. THE STRONG TRADE WINDS WILL ALSO CAUSE AN
INCREASE IN SHORT PERIOD CHOPPY SURF ALONG EAST FACING SHORES.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST MONDAY FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI-OAHU-
MOLOKAI-LANAI-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI-KONA-SOUTH BIG ISLAND-BIG ISLAND
NORTH AND EAST-KOHALA-BIG ISLAND INTERIOR.

HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 6 AM HST TUESDAY FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI
WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU
KOOLAU-MOLOKAI-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD
HALEAKALA.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST TUESDAY FOR KONA-KOHALA.

WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST TUESDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN
WATERS-
&&

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM 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: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kohala

When: March 1, 2:00 AM HST to March 3, 11:00 AM 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 214253, 214254, 214255, 214256, 214257, 214258, 214259, 214260, 214261, 214262, 214263, 214264, 214265, 214266, 214267.