High Surf in Hawaii, July 14 to 16, 2014

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, July 14 to 16, 2014
Start: 2014-07-14T11:00
End: 2014-07-16T15:00
Location: Hawaii

July 14 to 16, 2014 · NWS HFO · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

A swell from the southern hemisphere produced surf of 6 to 8 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No significant injuries or property damage were reported.

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: 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 swell from the southern hemisphere produced surf of 6 to 8 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No significant injuries or property damage were reported.

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 Jul 14, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 14, 10:00 AM HST, 1 hour before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST MON JUL 14 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH IS PASSING BY SOUTH OF THE STATE PROVIDING FOR
ENHANCED WINDWARD AND MAUKA SHOWERS AS WELL AS LIGHT WINDS ACROSS
THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILDING IN TO OUR NORTH THIS WEEK
PLACING THE ISLANDS IN A MODERATE TRADE WIND ENVIRONMENT. CLOUDS AND
PASSING SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS. A
LOW ALOFT MAY CAUSE FOR AN INCREASE IN SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER THE
WEEKEND.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH IS IS SEEN ON SATELLITE IMAGERY PASSING BY
JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE STATE. MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH
IS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA WHICH IS THE CAUSE FOR THE ENHANCED SHOWER
ACTIVITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA...MAINLY AFFECTING WINDWARD AND
MAUKA LOCATIONS. THE AIR MASS IS A BIT UNSTABLE OVER THE BIG ISLAND
THUS THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A STRAY THUNDERSTORM TO FORM OVER
THE SLOPES TODAY MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

SATELLITE DERIVED PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REMAIN HIGH OVER THE
ISLANDS AS WELL AS THE WATERS TO THE EAST. THUS WE EXPECT ENHANCED
WINDWARD AND MAUKA SHOWERS TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY WITH A DRYING
TREND EXPECTED LATER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILDING IN TO OUR NORTH THIS WEEK WITH MODERATE TO BREEZY TRADE
WINDS EXPECTED FOR THE MIDDLE AND LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK.

A MID LEVEL TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NORTHEAST OF THE STATE
DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AND GRADUALLY MOVE WESTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA BY THE WEEKEND. THIS MAY DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS ACROSS THE
AREA WITH SOME ENHANCEMENT IN SHOWER ACTIVITY POSSIBLE WITH THIS
SCENARIO. HOW MUCH INCREASE IN SHOWERS WE RECEIVE WILL BE HIGHLY
DEPENDENT ON MOISTURE AVAILABILITY.

&&

.MARINE...
WITH THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN TRADE WINDS BEGINNING TONIGHT...SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER THE TYPICALLY WINDY
WATERS AROUND MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG ISLAND. THESE CONDITIONS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK.

DATA FROM THE LANAI BUOY HAS BEEN SHOWING THE CURRENT SOUTH SWELL
IS IN LINE WITH WAVE WATCH III DATA WITH SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS
OF 3 FEET WITH PERIODS OF 15 TO 17 SECONDS. THIS SWELL WILL LINGER
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK BEFORE SLOWLY SUBSIDING DURING THE
LATTER PART OF THE WEEK AND ON INTO THE WEEKEND. THE STRENGTHENING
TRADE WINDS THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE AN INCREASE IN SHORT PERIOD CHOPPY
SURF ALONG EAST FACING SHORES.

&&

.AVIATION...
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS MOVING OVER THE WINDWARD PORTIONS OF THE ISLANDS
ARE BRINGING TEMPO OBSCURATION TO THE NORTH THROUGH EAST SECTIONS
OF THE ISLANDS. EXPECTING CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE OVER THE BIG ISLAND
LATER THIS MORNING WHILE CONDITIONS OVER THE SMALLER ISLANDS WILL
LIKELY LINGER INTO THE AFTERNOON.

CONDITIONS REMAIN ON THE UNSTABLE SIDE OVER THE BIG ISLAND...SO THE
CHANCE FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS TODAY...BUT EXPECT
CONDITIONS TO STABILIZE TONIGHT.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS/DISCUSSION/MARINE...BURKE
AVIATION....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

14 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 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: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 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 South Shore

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Waianae Coast

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 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, Molokai Leeward

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Kahoolawe 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: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 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: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 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, South Big Island

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: July 14, 11:00 AM HST to July 16, 3:00 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, July 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: 527810, 527811, 527812, 527813, 527814, 527815, 527816, 527817, 527818, 527819, 527820, 527821, 527822, 527823.