High Surf in Hawaii, February 5 to 10, 2012

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, February 5 to 10, 2012
Start: 2012-02-05T22:00
End: 2012-02-10T10:00
Location: Hawaii

February 5 to 10, 2012 · NWS HFO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

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: 12

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.

Swells from a powerful low far northwest of the islands generated surf of 15 to 25 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; 10 to 18 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu; and 6 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage, though lifeguards rendered assistance to numerous swimmers and surfers in the rough water around the island chain. Also, a report from the public indicated sand across Kamehameha Highway near Rock Piles surf break on Oahu.

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 5, 8:00 PM HST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 5, 8:00 PM HST, 2 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
800 PM HST SUN FEB 5 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
A FRONT WILL STALL OVER MAUI COUNTY THIS EVENING AND DISSIPATE
THROUGH MONDAY. THE FRONT HAS BROUGHT NICE ROUND OF SHOWERS TO THE
SMALLER ISLANDS. A STRONGER FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE
ISLANDS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVIER SHOWERS.
THERE WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT
AND BRISK NORTH WINDS BEHIND IT. WINDS WILL BECOME TRADES ON
THURSDAY AND THE TRADES WILL PERSIST THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. SURF WILL
REACH THE ADVISORY LEVEL MONDAY...THEN RISE TO WELL ABOVE THE
WARNING LEVEL BY TUESDAY NIGHT.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE LEADING EDGE TO THE FRONTAL BAND IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN THE
ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL. SATELLITE AND RADAR ANIMATION SHOWS THESE
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS IN THE CHANNEL WILL CONTINUE TO OOZE TOWARD
NORTH KOHALA OF THE BIG ISLAND AND DOWN A PORTION OF THE HAMAKUA
COAST AND ADJACENT WATERS DURING THE OVERNIGHT BEFORE STOPPING.
THE MODELS SUGGEST THE FRONT TO STALL AROUND MAUI AND NORTHERN BIG
ISLAND THIS EVENING...AND THERE ARE SIGNS OF SLOWING AND WEAKENING.
THE BACK EDGE OF THE FRONTAL BAND IS ABOUT 60 MILES NORTHWEST OF
KAUAI. SHOWER DISTRIBUTION APPEARS CONCENTRATED ACROSS MAUI COUNTY
ESPECIALLY WINDWARD MAUI AND THE ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL. WITH THIS
SAID...WE ANTICIPATED TO SOME DEGREE OF LOW CLOUDS STRETCHED OUT
ACROSS THE SMALLER ISLANDS THE REST OF TONIGHT AND THROUGH SUNRISE
MONDAY...PARTICULARLY THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN SECTIONS. SINCE THE
FRONT WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF MAUI AND NORTHERN BIG ISLAND
MONDAY...THEY WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS.

LIGHT TRADES WILL SPREAD EASTWARD THIS EVENING ACROSS THE CENTRAL
ISLANDS. KAUAI ALREADY HAS LIGHT TRADES. THE TRADES WILL NOT LAST
BEYOND MONDAY NOON...WITH LIGHT SOUTHERLIES RETURNING.

THE GFS HAS UPPED THE ARRIVAL TIME OF THE NEXT FRONT...FROM TUESDAY
NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY TO TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. IT APPEARS OTHER
MODELS ARE AGREEING TO THIS SCENARIO. THE GFS STILL RETAIN THE
STRONG GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS FOR ESPECIALLY KAUAI COUNTY...AND A BIT
HEAVIER SHOWERS. WE WILL LIKELY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST
PACKAGE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TO BE INLINE WITH THE GFS
SOLUTION. TIME LINE FOR THE NEXT FRONT ARE AS FOLLOWS...KAUAI AROUND
THE TAIL END OF RUSH HOUR TUESDAY...OAHU AROUND NOON...MAUI COUNTY
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND BIG ISLAND TUESDAY EVENING.

A COUPLE OF WIND SENSORS ATOP MAUNA KEA SUMMIT CONTINUE TO REGISTER
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. WE ARE NOT SURE OF ITS ACCURACY...A COUPLE
OF OTHER SENSORS ARE DISPLAYING LOWER VALUES OF AROUND 20 TO 31 MPH
SUSTAINED. WIND DATA FROM HILO/S RADIOSONDE RUN THIS AFTERNOON AND
THIS MORNING...AND FROM COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT FLYING IN/OUT OF KONA
SHOWS 30 TO 35 MPH WINDS AT 13000 FEET...WHICH MEETS ADVISORY
CRITERIA. NEVER THE LESS...WE HAVE THE WARNING IN PLACE AND WILL
CONTINUE IT THROUGH AT LEAST THE REST OF TONIGHT.

&&

.MARINE...
THE WAIMEA BUOY SHOWS A GRADUAL RISE THIS EVENING. AT 7 PM HST...THE
SWELL IS ABOUT 9 FEET 10 SECONDS PERIOD. SO THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY
STANDS.

AN EVEN LARGER NORTHWEST SWELL WILL HAVE SURF WELL ABOVE THE WARNING
LEVEL TUESDAY NIGHT. SURF COULD REMAIN AT WARNING LEVELS THROUGH
THURSDAY NIGHT.

DUE TO THE ABOVE NORMAL SWELLS ON TAP THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY
TUESDAY...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING.

&&

.AVIATION...
THE NEARLY STALLED FRONT DRAPED ACROSS MAUI COUNTY AND NORTHERN
MOST BIG ISLAND...CONTAINS LOW CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WITH BRIEF MVFR
CEILINGS...VISIBILITY AND POSSIBLY MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS. THE FRONT
IS EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE OVER THESE AREAS THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.
WE WILL MONITOR IF AN AIRMET FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS FOR MAUI
COUNTY IS NECESSARY.

AN AIRMET FOR MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 11000 FEET FOR MAUI AND THE
BIG ISLAND WILL REEVALUATED BY THE MIDNIGHT PACKAGE. IT WILL LIKELY
BE DROPPED FOR MAUI.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 600 AM MONDAY FOR THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA
AND MAUNA LOA.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY TO 600 AM TUESDAY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING
SHORES OF NIIHAU KAUAI AND OAHU AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI
AND MAUI.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TO 600 AM TUESDAY FOR WATERS AROUND KAUAI AND
OAHU WINDWARD WATERS.

&&

LAU

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 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: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 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: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 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: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 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: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 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: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: February 5, 10:00 PM HST to February 10, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kona forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, February 2012

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: 359853, 359854, 359855, 359856, 359857, 359858, 359859, 359860, 359861, 359862, 359863, 359864.