High Surf, Niihau
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 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 in Hawaii, October 9 to 11, 2014
A swell from a strong low far northwest of the islands generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai; the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 14 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai. Lifeguards helped a 17-year-old male who was seriously injured when he was caught in the shore-break at Waimea Bay on Oahu's North…
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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 a strong low far northwest of the islands generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai; the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 14 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai. Lifeguards helped a 17-year-old male who was seriously injured when he was caught in the shore-break at Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore. Ocean safety personnel also performed 1120 preventive actions, just on North Shore beaches. No serious property damage was reported.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
10 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 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
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 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
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu North Shore forecast zone
- Injuries
- 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
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Windward
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 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, Windward Haleakala
- When
- October 9, 10:00 AM HST to October 11, 2:00 PM HST
- Where
- Windward Haleakala 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
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, October 9 to 10, 2014
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Missouri, October 9 to 13, 2014
- Flash Flood and Hail in New Mexico, October 9, 2014
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, October 9, 2014
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Kansas, October 9 to 10, 2014
- Flood in Arizona, October 9, 2014
- Hail in Georgia, October 9, 2014
- Winter Weather in Colorado, October 9 to 10, 2014
- Winter Storm in Colorado, October 9 to 10, 2014
- Hail and Heavy Rain in Arizona, October 9 to 11, 2014
- Hail in Oklahoma, October 9, 2014
- Flooding in Kansas, October 9, 2014
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 542455, 542456, 542457, 542458, 542459, 542460, 542461, 542462, 542463, 542464.