High Surf in Hawaii, January 16 to 28, 2014

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 16 to 28, 2014
Start: 2014-01-16T01:00
End: 2014-01-28T10:00
Location: Hawaii

January 16 to 28, 2014 · NWS HFO · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

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

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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.

A series of swells from powerful lows far northwest of the islands generated surf of 20 to 50 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; 15 to 30 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai; 15 to 25 feet along the north-facing shores of the Big Island; and 10 to 18 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island. County officials closed many beaches because of the danger posed by such extreme surf. The surf did contribute to erosion problems, especially on the north shore of Oahu. Also, many areas near the coasts being affected by the high surf were inundated by water and debris.

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 Jan 15, 8:30 PM HST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 8:30 PM HST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
830 PM HST WED JAN 15 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
A SERIES OF WEAK FRONTS WILL IMPACT THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OVER
THE NEXT WEEK. THE FIRST IN THE SERIES OF FRONTS IS EXPECTED TO
REACH KAUAI THURSDAY MORNING...AND THE SECOND SUNDAY. THE THIRD
FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE STRONGER...REACHING THE ISLANDS BY THE
MIDDLE OF THE NEXT WEEK. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HIGH SURF AND
DANGEROUS BEACH CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY AT THIS TIME. THE
SHORT TERM FORECAST GRIDS SEEM TO BE IN LINE...SO DO NOT ANTICIPATE
ANY UPDATES AT THIS TIME.

NEAR ZONAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL HELP PUSH TWO UPCOMING FRONTS
THROUGH THE AREA WITH MINIMAL IMPACT OVER THE ISLANDS. THE FIRST
FRONT WAS ANALYZED ABOUT 500 MILES NORTHWEST OF KAUAI AT 2 PM THIS
AFTERNOON. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 48
HOURS AS IT APPROACHES AND MOVES OVER THE WESTERN ISLANDS. EXPECT AN
INCREASE IN SHOWERS THURSDAY AS THE FRONT REACHES KAUAI AND
OAHU...AND SPREADS OVER MAUI COUNTY BY THE AFTERNOON. WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIGHT WITH THIS SYSTEM.

BRIEF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTH AND THEN NORTHEAST OF THE
ISLANDS BEHIND THIS FRONT...BRINGING A BRIEF RETURN OF LIGHT...DRY
TRADE WIND WEATHER FOR THE FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY TIME PERIOD. THE
ZONAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL KEEP THE HIGH MOVING TO THE EAST. THE
ZONAL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO BREAK DOWN BY MONDAY.

THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVE DIFFERING ACCOUNTS ON THE HANDLING OF THE
NEXT SYSTEMS. THE ECMWF...BRINGS A FRONT TO THE ISLANDS SUNDAY...AND
ANOTHER MID WEEK. THE GFS RAMPS UP THE LOW NORTHWEST OF THE
ISLANDS...BRINGING A FRONT NORTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS
SUNDAY...LINGERING INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE GFS HAS THIS LOW
MUCH STRONGER THAN THE ECMWF. THIS MORE SIGNIFICANT FRONT COULD
BRING THE CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAIN...THUNDERSTORMS AND SUMMIT WEATHER
WILL INCREASE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. WILL BE CLOSELY
MONITORING FUTURE RUNS OF THE MODELS FOR MORE DETAILS.

STRONG NORTHWESTERLY FLOW AND A MODIFIED YET DRIER AIRMASS WILL
ADVECT ACROSS THE STATE BEHIND THE FRONT AS IT PASSES WEDNESDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY. DRY SUNNY AND COOLER WEATHER COUPLED WITH
VEERING/EASING NORTHERLY WINDS WILL FOLLOW FOR FRIDAY INTO THE
WEEKEND.

&&

.AVIATION...
AN AREA OF A FEW SHOWERS APPROACHING OAHU FROM THE WEST IS EXPECTED
TO DISSIPATE AS IT ADVANCES EASTWARD. SOME OF THESE REMNANT CLOUDS
WILL CAUSE BRIEF AND LOCAL MVFR CEILINGS ACROSS MAUI COUNTY THE REST
OF TONIGHT. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDS RULES. A FRONT IS EXPECTED TO
REACH KAUAI A FEW AFTER SUNRISE...USHERING IN WIDESPREAD IFR TO MVFR
CONDS TO THE MTNS AND N THROUGH E FACING SLOPES OF THE GARDEN ISLE.

&&

.MARINE...
HAWAII IS IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF A LONG RUN OF HIGH SURF FROM
THE NORTHWEST. SURF WILL REMAIN ELEVATED OVERNIGHT BUILDING QUICKLY
TO WARNING LEVELS TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HIGH SURF WARNINGS
ARE POSTED INCLUDING ADVISORIES FOR THE NORTH AND WEST FACING BIG
ISLAND. THE HIGHEST SURF WILL OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH
ADDITIONAL LARGE PULSES LATER IN THE WEEKEND. THE HIGHEST SURF WILL
HIT DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING
COINCIDING WITH THE HIGH TIDE. THIS WILL INCREASE CHANCES FOR
SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION AND RUN-UP DURING THESE HOURS. ADDITIONAL
LARGE SURF IS EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK SO THE
WARNINGS AND ADVISORY NUMBERS AND EXPIRATION WILL TAKE ADJUSTMENTS
AS THE SWELL FILLS IN. THE SURF FORECAST PRODUCT HAS BEEN UPDATED
SO PLEASE CHECK IT OUT FOR GREATER DETAIL ON THE POTENTIAL LARGE
SWELL FOR THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 6 PM HST FRIDAY 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 FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO 6 AM HST SUNDAY FOR
KONA-BIG ISLAND NORTH AND EAST.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM HST SATURDAY
FOR KAUAI NORTHWEST WATERS-KAUAI WINDWARD WATERS-KAUAI LEEWARD
WATERS-KAUAI CHANNEL-OAHU WINDWARD WATERS-OAHU LEEWARD WATERS-
KAIWI CHANNEL-MAUI COUNTY WINDWARD WATERS-MAUI COUNTY LEEWARD
WATERS-ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL-BIG ISLAND WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND
LEEWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND SOUTHEAST WATERS.

&&

PUBLIC...M BALLARD
MARINE...DEJESUS
AVIATION...LAU

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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 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)

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 AM HST
Where: Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kohala

When: January 16, 1:00 AM HST to January 28, 10:00 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 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 2014

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: 489037, 489038, 489039, 489040, 489041, 489042, 489043, 489044, 489045, 489046, 489047, 489048, 489049, 489050, 489051.