High Surf in Hawaii, January 4 to 5, 2014

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 4 to 5, 2014
Start: 2014-01-04T09:00
End: 2014-01-05T13:00
Location: Hawaii

January 4 to 5, 2014 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Swells from a series of strong lows far northwest of the islands generated surf of 10 to 18 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island of Hawaii; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island. There were no reports of significant property damage or injuries.

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 Jan 4, 4:00 AM HST, 5 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 4:00 AM HST, 5 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST SAT JAN 4 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
SCATTERED LIGHT WINDWARD SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WITH NORTHERLY
WINDS GIVING WAY TO LIMITED TRADE WINDS. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
IS EXPECTED TO MOVE TOWARDS THE ISLANDS FROM THE NORTHWEST ON
SUNDAY...AND WILL BRING A VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS TO THE ISLANDS
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM...PARTICULARLY SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY.
LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE SHOWERS DURING THE SECOND
HALF OF THE WEEK...WITH ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM POSSIBLE FOR NEXT
WEEKEND.
&&

.UPDATE...
WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SUMMITS EXTENDED THROUGH 6 PM TODAY.
&&

.DISCUSSION...
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY AT THIS TIME. THE
FRONT THAT BROUGHT WINDS AND RAIN TO THE ISLANDS IS NOW SOUTHEAST OF
THE BIG ISLAND...AND IS EXPECTED TO LINGER THERE FOR ANOTHER DAY OR
SO. BEHIND THE FRONT...COOL NORTHERLY WINDS AND AIR MOVED OVER THE
ISLANDS...FINALLY REACHING BIG ISLAND EARLY THIS MORNING. HIGH
PRESSURE NORTHWEST OF THE ISLANDS HAS BEEN HELPING TO BRING THE
NORTHERLY WINDS TO THE ISLANDS OVERNIGHT. THE HIGH IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE TO THE EAST TODAY...WHICH WILL BRING SOME TRADES BACK TO THE
ISLANDS BRIEFLY. HAVE DRIED OUT THE POPS SOME THIS MORNING FROM THE
PREVIOUS FORECAST. SHOWERS WILL BE MOST LIKELY OVER THE BIG ISLAND
TODAY...BUT ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIGHT.

SOME OF THE WIND GAGES AT THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS HAVE REMAINED AT
ADVISORY LEVELS OVERNIGHT...WHILE OTHERS HAVE TRENDED DOWN
SIGNIFICANTLY. SOME OF THE MODELS SUGGEST THE WINDS WILL REMAIN NEAR
ADVISORY LEVELS THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AND THE 12Z HILO SOUNDING
SHOWED 600 MB WINDS WERE NEAR 30 MPH. HAVE OPTED TO EXTEND THE WIND
ADVISORY THROUGH TODAY.

SUNDAY SEES AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING TOWARDS THE ISLANDS FROM
THE NORTHWEST. THE ECMWF REMAINS THE STRONGEST...WITH 500 MB
TEMPERATURES NEAR -21C. WHILE THE MODELS MAY DISAGREE ON HOW COLD
THE AIRMASS WILL BE...THEY ALL AGREE THAT IT WILL BE SUFFICIENTLY
COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY NEAR THE
ISLANDS SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. AREAS NEAR KAUAI COULD SEE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AS EARLY AS SUNDAY.

THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO MOVE DOWN THE ISLAND CHAIN
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. BEYOND THAT...THE MODELS DISAGREE ON THE
PLACEMENT AND MOVEMENT OF THE TROUGH. THE ECMWF IS THE MOST
PESSIMISTIC...BUT ALSO HAS BEEN MORE CONSISTENT RUN TO RUN. THE
ECMWF KEEPS THE TROUGH NEAR THE ISLANDS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.
AS SUCH...THE CURRENT FORECAST HAS THE POSSIBILITY FOR HEAVY RAIN
AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. SUSPECT THAT AS THE
EVENT GETS CLOSER...WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRIM BACK THE AREAS AT MOST
RISK...BUT FOR NOW SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THE
FORECAST HAS THE CHANCE STATE WIDE.

AS THE TROUGH REACHES THE BIG ISLAND...THE SUMMIT WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO JUMP UP AGAIN...AND WILL LIKELY REQUIRE ANOTHER ADVISORY. THE
ECMWF BACKED OFF SOME ON THE WINDS OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS...SO
FUTURE MODEL EXAMINATION WILL BE NEEDED.

LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL KEEP THE CHANCE FOR WET WEATHER
OVER THE ISLANDS DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK...BUT THE
AIRMASS SHOULD BE MORE STABLE. HEADING INTO NEXT WEEKEND...ANOTHER
TROUGH COULD BRING MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER.

&&

.MARINE...
DUE TO THE NORTHWEST TO NORTHEAST SWELL THAT ARE EXPECTED
TODAY...COUPLED WITH THE WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT...THE SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL THE WATERS.

NEW NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST SWELLS ARRIVING TODAY. DUE TO SEPARATE
SWELL COMPONENTS...THE RESULTING SURF WILL HAVE VARYING SIZE AND
PERIODS. THE STRONGEST COMPONENT WILL BE FROM THE NORTH...AND MORE
MODERATE FROM THE NORTHWEST SO SURF HEIGHTS MAY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY
FROM BEACH TO BEACH. THE NORTH SWELL WILL LIKELY CAUSE HARBOR
SURGES AND DISRUPTION AT HALEIWA KAHULUI AND HILO HARBORS. MARINE
WEATHER STATEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONCERN WITH
HARBOR SURGES.

&&

.AVIATION...
AIRMET SIERRA CONTINUES FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION OVER THE BIG
ISLAND DUE TO THE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS LINGERING BEHIND THE FRONT.
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE TODAY...WITH
PREDOMINANTLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI
WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU
KOOLAU-OLOMANA-MOLOKAI-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-
WINDWARD HALEAKALA-BIG ISLAND NORTH AND EAST.

WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST TODAY FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST SUNDAY FOR ALL HAWAIIAN
WATERS-

&&

M BALLARD

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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: January 4, 9:00 AM HST to January 5, 1:00 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 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: 488907, 488908, 488909, 488910, 488911, 488912, 488913, 488914, 488915, 488916, 488917, 488918, 488919.