High Surf in Hawaii, October 1 to 2, 2014

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, October 1 to 2, 2014
Start: 2014-10-01T08:00
End: 2014-10-02T15:00
Location: Hawaii

October 1 to 2, 2014 · NWS HFO · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

A swell from the southern hemisphere produced surf of 6 to 9 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No serious 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: 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 swell from the southern hemisphere produced surf of 6 to 9 feet along the south-facing shores of all the islands. No serious 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 Oct 1, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 1, 4:00 AM HST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST WED OCT 1 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
A MORE STABLE AIRMASS IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE ISLANDS THROUGH
THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THOUGH LIGHT WINDS AND MUGGY CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL AS A WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE STAYS NEAR THE STATE.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
MAINLY FAIR WEATHER PREVAILS OVER THE ISLANDS EARLY THIS
MORNING...WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. EARLY
MORNING SOUNDINGS FROM LIHUE AND HILO STILL DEPICT A RATHER UNSTABLE
AIR MASS...WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN THE MOISTURE. STILL EXPECT TO SEE
LESS WEATHER OVER THE STATE THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS AIR MASS IN
THE ISLAND VICINITY WILL SLOWLY BECOME MORE STABLE. THE OVERALL
SYNOPTIC SURFACE WEATHER PATTERN REMAINS RATHER STATIC IN THE ISLAND
VICINITY...AS A WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ANCHORS JUST NORTH OF THE
ISLANDS AT LEAST THROUGH REST OF THE WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP WINDS
LIGHT IN THE ISLAND VICINITY...ALLOWING LAND AND SEA BREEZES TO
DEVELOP DURING NIGHT AND DAY. CLOUDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE ISLANDS
UNDER DAY TIME HEATING. SINCE THERE WILL STILL BE ENOUGH LINGERING
MOISTURE IN THE AREA...THESE CLOUDS WILL PROBABLY BRING MEASURABLE
PRECIPITATION. DAY TIME TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO REMAIN ON THE WARM
SIDE AND IT MAY FEEL MUGGY DUE TO THE HIGHER MOISTURE. SHOWERS WILL
TAPER OFF IN THE EVENING...WITH CLEARING SKIES OVER THE ISLANDS
UNDER NIGHT TIME COOLING.

LATEST FORECAST MODELS STILL INDICATE THE SURFACE RIDGE MAY MOVE
SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...AS A SURFACE FRONT FAR
NORTHWEST OF THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO ADVANCE MORE SOUTHEAST. THE
RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE ISLANDS TO KEEP
WINDS LIGHT. THEREFORE THE CURRENT WARM AND MUGGY WEATHER MAY
PERSIST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...
ISOLATED TCU WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING ACROSS THE
COASTAL WATERS...WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNRISE. VFR
CONDITIONS WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES PREVAIL OVER THE ISLANDS THIS
MORNING. EXPECT TO SEE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS BUILDING OVER THE ISLANDS
BY THIS AFTERNOON. AIRMET SIERRA FOR MTN OBSC MAY BE NECESSARY LATER
TODAY AS THESE CLOUD BUILD UPS OCCUR.

&&

.MARINE...
THE CURRENT SOUTH SWELL REMAINS HIGH ENOUGH TO BRING ADVISORY LEVEL
SURF HEIGHTS TO SOUTH FACING SHORES TODAY...AS THE READINGS FROM
THE NEAR SHORE BUOY JUST SOUTHWEST OF OAHU STAY RATHER ELEVATED. AS
SUCH...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH FACING
SHORES OF ALL ISLANDS UNTIL THURSDAY. ALSO A NORTHWEST SWELL WILL
PEAK TODAY WITH BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS SURF FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING
SHORES. A SERIES OF MODERATE NORTHWEST SWELLS WILL ARRIVE DURING THE
WEEKEND AND POSSIBLY LASTING THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES
OF ALL ISLANDS.

&&

AVIATION...FOSTER
REST...HUI

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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu South Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Waianae Coast

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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 Windward

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Lanai Makai

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Lanai Makai forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kahoolawe

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Leeward Haleakala

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: Leeward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 3:00 PM HST
Where: South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When: October 1, 8:00 AM HST to October 2, 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, October 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: 542411, 542412, 542413, 542414, 542415, 542416, 542417, 542418, 542419, 542420, 542421, 542422, 542423, 542424, 542425.