High Surf, Niihau
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 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, March 18 to 19, 2010
A swell from a low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands generated surf of 10 to 15 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries.
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
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.
A swell from a low far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands generated surf of 10 to 15 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries.
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 18, 8:30 PM HST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 8:30 PM HST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 830 PM HST THU MAR 18 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A HIGH PRESSURE WILL PASS FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK...MAINTAINING MODERATE TRADES ACROSS THE AREA. CLOUDS AND SHOWERS CARRIED BY THE WINDS WILL FAVOR WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SLOPES. A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR THE ISLANDS EARLY NEXT WEEK...CAUSING THE WINDS TO DECREASE. && .DISCUSSION... MODERATE TRADE WINDS CONTINUE OVER THE ISLANDS THIS EVENING. QUITE A BIT OF LOW CLOUDS IN THE ISLAND VICINITY AS REVEALED BY LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY. THESE CLOUDS WILL PROVIDE SHOWERS TO THE AREA...SPECIALLY WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SECTIONS. SOME OF THE SHOWERS WILL REACH THE LEE AREAS ON THE SMALLER ISLANDS AS WELL UNDER THE BRISK WINDS. THERE ARE HIGH CLOUDS STREAMING ACROSS THE ISLAND CHAIN THIS EVENING. HENCE SKIES WILL REMAIN AT LEAST PARTLY CLOUDY THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT. AIR MASS IS STABLE...THOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS DEEP ENOUGH TO PROVIDE WETTING RAIN. THE HIGH PRESSURE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WIND WILL PASS FAR NORTH OF THE ISLANDS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS...KEEPING MODERATE TRADES OVER THE ISLANDS. HENCE TRADE WIND WEATHER WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK...WITH CLOUDS AND SHOWERS FAVORING WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS. LATEST FORECAST CHARTS STILL HINT A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER FOR THE ISLANDS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A SURFACE TROUGH DEVELOPS NEAR THE AREA. EXPECT WINDS TO BE BECOME LIGHT WITH A CONVECTIVE TYPE WEATHER REGIME DEVELOPING. AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE UNSTABLE AS WELL AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ALSO DEVELOPS IN THE VICINITY. HOPEFULLY THIS MAY PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR THE DROUGHT AREAS AROUND THE STATE. && .MARINE... READINGS FROM THE BUOY FAR NORTHWEST OF ISLANDS SHOWED A SPIKE IN THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS. LOOKS LIKE THE PENDING NORTHWEST SWELL IS ON TIME. DO EXPECT THE INCOMING SWELL TO BUILD OVERNIGHT...BRINGING ADVISORY LEVEL SURF THROUGH FRIDAY. HIGH SURF ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM LATER TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. A LARGE SOUTH SWELL IS STILL FORECAST TO ARRIVE SATURDAY...AND MAY BRING ADVISORY LEVEL SURF TO SOUTH FACING SHORES OVER THE WEEKEND. THE INCOMING NORTHWEST SWELL AND THE WAVES DRIVEN BY MODERATE TRADE WINDS...WILL KEEP COMBINED SEAS ABOVE 10 FEET FOR THE COASTAL WATERS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE COASTAL WATER AREAS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU AND KAUAI AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF OAHU...MOLOKAI AND MAUI FROM 10 PM HST THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY FOR ALL COASTAL WATERS. && HUI
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
11 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 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, Oahu North Shore
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 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 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Olomana
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 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 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 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 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Windward Haleakala
- When
- March 18, 11:00 PM HST to March 19, 5:00 PM 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
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Nevada, March 18, 2010
- Strong Wind in California, March 18, 2010
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, March 18 to 20, 2010
- Flooding in North Dakota, March 18 to 31, 2010
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, March 18 to 19, 2010
- Flooding in Minnesota, March 18 to 31, 2010
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Utah, March 18 to 19, 2010
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, March 18 to 19, 2010
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, March 18 to 19, 2010
- Flood in South Dakota, March 18 to 25, 2010
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 18 to 19, 2010
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 214291, 214292, 214293, 214294, 214295, 214296, 214297, 214298, 214299, 214300, 214301.