High Surf in Hawaii, March 15 to 16, 2010

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, March 15 to 16, 2010
Start: 2010-03-15T05:00
End: 2010-03-16T20:00
Location: Hawaii

March 15 to 16, 2010 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A swell from a strong low far northwest of the islands produced surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 8 to 14 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. There were no reports of significant injuries or property damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 13

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 Mar 15, 3:30 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 15, 3:30 AM HST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
330 AM HST MON MAR 15 2010

.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING BY TO THE NORTH OF THE STATE
WILL BRING FRESH TRADES TO THE ISLANDS THROUGH TODAY. MOISTURE AND
INSTABILITY OVER THE AREA WILL RESULT IN SHOWERY CONDITIONS...MOST
PERSISTENT ON THE WINDWARD SIDES. THE TRADES WILL WEAKEN WITH A
SOMEWHAT MORE STABLE AIRMASS ON TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A COLD
FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE ISLANDS FROM THE NORTH ON
THURSDAY. THIS FRONT WILL STALL AND WEAKEN OVER THE STATE THROUGH
THE END OF THE WEEK...BRINGING WET TRADES TO THE ISLANDS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS REMAINS OVER THE STATE THIS MORNING
BRINGING SHOWERY TRADE WIND WEATHER. THE 1031 MB HIGH CENTERED WELL
NORTH NORTHWEST OF THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FRESH TRADES
BLOWING ACROSS THE ISLANDS. CLOUDS AND SHOWERS HAVE INCREASED
OVERNIGHT...WITH RAIN GAGES REPORTING GENERALLY UP TO 0.5 OF AN
INCH IN THE PAST 6 HOURS OVER WINDWARD AREAS...BUT LOCALLY UP TO
1.3 INCHES ON MOLOKAI. 12Z SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERSION TOP AT AROUND
11000 FEET AND THE WINDS AT 850 MB ARE ENOUGH TO MOVE SOME OF THE
SHOWERS OVER TO NORMALLY DRY LEEWARD LOCATIONS TODAY. SO HAVE
ADJUSTED POPS UP TO REFLECT THE WETTER THAN NORMAL TRADES TODAY.

THE SURFACE HIGH MOVES EASTWARD AWAY FROM THE AREA TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY...WHICH WILL RELAX THE TRADES OVER THE STATE. THE AIRMASS
DOES NOT STABILIZE MUCH DURING THIS PERIOD...SO STILL EXPECT A GOOD
AMOUNT OF SHOWERS STILL IN THE WANING TRADES...BUT THESE WILL BE
MORE CONFINED TO WINDWARD LOCATIONS. LATE WEDNESDAY WILL BRING A
BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WITH LESS CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS. BY THURSDAY...MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT IN SHOWING A COLD
FRONT MOVING SOUTH OVER THE STATE BRINGING MODERATE NORTH NORTHEAST
WINDS BEHIND IT. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIKELY STALL AND WEAKEN
SOMEWHERE OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE THROUGH THE END OF THE
WEEK...HAVE KEPT CHANCE OF RAIN AT NEAR OR ABOVE CLIMO LEVELS FOR
THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD.

&&

.MARINE...
A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL AND FRESH TRADE WINDS WILL COMBINE FOR SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS OVER THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH TODAY. THE
DECREASING WINDS AND SWELL WILL ALLOW THE SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS TO
MODERATE BY EARLY TUESDAY.

THE NEW LARGE NORTH NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PEAK MONDAY BRINGING
ADVISORY LEVEL SURF ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES. THE SWELL
WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI
OAHU AND MOLOKAI...AS WELL AS NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI AND
WINDWARD BIG ISLAND FROM 6 PM HST TODAY TO 6 AM HST TUESDAY.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL WATERS SURROUNDING KAUAI AND OAHU AS
WELL AS THE WINDWARD MAUI WATERS AND PAILOLO CHANNEL AND MAALAEA BAY
THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST WATERS THROUGH 6
PM MONDAY.

&&

BRENCHLEY

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 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: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 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: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 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: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 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: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 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: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 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, Maui Central Valley

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 8:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: March 15, 5:00 AM HST to March 16, 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 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: 214276, 214277, 214278, 214279, 214280, 214281, 214282, 214283, 214284, 214285, 214286, 214287, 214288.