High Surf in Hawaii, November 13 to 15, 2013

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, November 13 to 15, 2013
Start: 2013-11-13T02:00
End: 2013-11-15T19:00
Location: Hawaii

November 13 to 15, 2013 · NWS HFO · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

A swell from a powerful low north of the islands, in combination with a strong high far to the northwest, generated surf of 20 to 30 feet along the north-facing shores, and 10 to 20 feet along the east-facing shores, of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. A surfer was lost on the 13th in the churning waters on the north shore of Oahu at Chun's Reef.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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 surfer was lost on the 13th in the churning waters on the north shore of Oahu at Chun's Reef. A search for the 32-year-old male was unsuccessful.

On the Valley Isle of Maui, the parking and pavilion areas of Baldwin Park in Paia were closed due to flooding from the high surf wash up on the 13th. Bayfront Highway on the Big Island was also closed for a time because of the unusually high surf.

The costs of any damages from the high surf were not available.

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 Nov 12, 10:10 PM HST, 3 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 12, 10:10 PM HST, 3 hours 50 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1010 PM HST TUE NOV 12 2013

.UPDATE...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS EXTENDED THROUGH
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

.SYNOPSIS...
A FRONT WILL SPREAD RAIN...AND POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS...NORTHWEST
OVER THE STATE STARTING WEDNESDAY OVER THE BIG ISLAND...AND ENDING
WITH KAUAI ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT FOR THE MOST
PART...CHANGING FROM NORTHERLY TO SOUTHEASTERLY IN DIRECTION.
CONDITIONS OVER HIGH ELEVATIONS WILL BE MORE EXTREME...INCLUDING
VERY STRONG WINDS AND SNOW.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
DIMINISHING NORTHERLY WINDS PREVAILED ACROSS MOST OF THE MAIN
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS...AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. OVER THE BIG ISLAND
SUMMITS...WESTERLIES REMAINED NEAR HURRICANE FORCE. A STALLED FRONT
LINGERED TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE BIG ISLAND...SEPARATING THE COOLER
AND RELATIVELY DRIER AIR MASS CURRENTLY OVER THE STATE FROM WARMER
AND MUCH MOISTER AIR CLOSER TO THE EQUATOR. LARGELY NONPRECIPITATING
MARINE STRATUS AND STRATOCUMULI FRAGMENTS SPREAD OVER KAUAI AND
PARTS OF OAHU...WHILE DEEP MIDDLE TO HIGH STRATUS LAYERS OBSCURED
MAUI AND THE BIG ISLAND.

THE LARGE...POWERFUL...AND DEEPLY STACKED LOW WELL TO THE NORTHEAST
OF THE ISLANDS DRIVING THE BULK OF LOCAL WEATHER THROUGH THE PAST
FEW DAYS WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO DURING THE NEXT 48 TO 60 HOURS. AS
THE LOW MOVES WEST...THE FRONT CONNECTING TO ITS SURFACE REFLECTION
WILL PASS OVER THE STATE AGAIN...SPREADING STRATUS RAIN WITH
POSSIBLE EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST...
ROUGHLY FROM WEDNESDAY INTO FRIDAY. WINDS NEAR SEA LEVEL FOLLOWING
THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AND BECOME SOUTHEASTERLY AS WELL. HOWEVER...
THE TIGHT GRADIENT AT MID-LEVELS WILL MAINTAIN EXTREME WIND SPEEDS
OVER THE SUMMITS AT LEAST INTO EARLY THURSDAY.

WINTER WEATHER OVER THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM
EARLY WEDNESDAY...SO A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT. GRADUALLY
WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT MAY END THE THREAT OF WINTER WEATHER
AFTER WEDNESDAY...BUT FOR NOW IT WAS PRUDENT TO EXPECT THE
COLDER...AND MORE WINTRY...OUTCOME.

THERE APPEARS TO BE AT LEAST SOME POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY AS IT PUSHES BACK TOWARD THE NW.
MODELS ARE SHOWING MODERATE INSTABILITY...WITH 1000-2000 J/KG OF
SKINNY CAPE...ALONG WITH 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR VALUES OF 30-50 KT...AND
CLOCKWISE TURNING HODOGRAPHS WITH HEIGHT. NOT SURPRISINGLY...THE
MODELS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE DETAILS...SO CONFIDENCE IS STILL
RATHER LOW. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS POSSIBILITY AS
WE GET CLOSER.

IN ANTICIPATION OF PROLONGED STRATUS RAIN...THE POSSIBILITY OF
LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ACCOMPANYING THUNDERSTORMS...AND LOCALLY
SOGGY SOIL FROM RAINFALL ACCUMULATED OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND...A
FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND...MAUI COUNTY...
AND OAHU. WE MAY NEED TO ADD KAUAI COUNTY AS WELL LATER THIS WEEK
DEPENDING ON HOW THE SCENARIO UNFOLDS.

WHATEVER PROBLEMS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK BRINGS...OVERALL CONDITIONS
SHOULD BECOME LESS THREATENING WITH TIME AFTER WEDNESDAY AS THE DEEP
LOW MOVES FURTHER AWAY TO THE NORTHWEST...AND BROAD MID-LEVEL
RIDGING BUILDS IN OVER THE STATE FROM THE EAST. AS THE SUBTROPICAL
RIDGE REDEVELOPS NEAR THE SURFACE IN RESPONSE...LIGHT TRADE WINDS
WILL ATTEMPT A RETURN TO THE ISLANDS...THOUGH A SURFACE TROUGH
REMAINING FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE FRONT WILL LINGER NEAR KAUAI
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...KEEPING WIND DIRECTION A BIT MORE SOUTHERLY...
AND WIND SPEEDS LIGHTER...THAN USUAL.

&&

.MARINE...
A HIGH SURF WARNING AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY /SCA/ REMAINED IN
EFFECT. ALTHOUGH STRICTLY SPEAKING CONDITIONS HAVE NOT YET REACHED
THE KEY THRESHOLDS...THESE PRODUCTS WERE ISSUED IN ANTICIPATION OF
AN ARRIVING SIGNIFICANT N SWELL GENERATED BY THE STRONG PRESSURE
GRADIENT BETWEEN A STORM FORCE LOW NNE OF THE ISLANDS...AND A STRONG
SFC HIGH FAR NW OF THE ISLANDS. THE SWELL WILL BUILD RAPIDLY
TONIGHT...PEAK WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND THEN DIMINISH FROM
THURSDAY OR THURSDAY NIGHT. THE HIGH SURF WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR N
AND E FACING SHORES OF NEARLY ALL ISLANDS. THE KONA COAST OF THE BIG
ISLAND ALSO HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE WARNING...AS LARGE N SWELLS
HAVE HISTORICALLY PRODUCED HIGH SURF ALONG THE PORTION OF THE COAST
BETWEEN KIHOLO BAY AND KEAHOLE POINT.

LARGE SURF COULD CAUSE WAVES OR DEBRIS TO WASH OVER PARTS OF
KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY ALONG WINDWARD OAHU BETWEEN KAHANA AND HAUULA...
AND LIKELY WILL CLOSE AT LEAST THE MAKAI LANES OF BAY FRONT HIGHWAY
IN HILO. THIS SWELL WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY HARBOR SURGES TO N
FACING HARBORS LIKE KAHULUI AND HILO...AS WELL AS BREAKING WAVES TO
CHANNEL ENTRANCES. A MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT TO ALERT
MARINERS TO THE IMPENDING THREAT. THE OAHU SURF DISCUSSION...
SRDHFO...WAS UPDATED THIS AFTERNOON...AND CONTAINS ADDITIONAL
INSIGHT INTO THIS SURF EVENT.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON FOR OAHU.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 4 AM HST WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON FOR MOLOKAI-LANAI-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI-BIG ISLAND.

HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 6 AM HST THURSDAY FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI-OAHU
NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-OLOMANA-MOLOKAI-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI
LEEWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-BIG
ISLAND NORTH AND EAST.

HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 AM HST THURSDAY FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS.

WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 6 AM HST WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST THURSDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN
WATERS EXCEPT MAALAEA BAY-

&&

RYSHKO/R BALLARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 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: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 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: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu North Shore forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 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: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 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 Leeward West

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Leeward 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: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 14, 3:00 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: November 13, 2:00 AM HST to November 15, 7:00 PM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
High Surf, Oahu North Shore	2013-11-13	32	Male	In Water	Direct

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 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, November 2013

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: 481372, 481373, 481374, 481376, 481377, 481378, 481379, 481380, 481381, 481382, 481383, 481384, 481385, 481386.