High Surf, Niihau
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 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 in Hawaii, February 9 to 13, 2015
A swell from a powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State produced surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai. No significant property damage or injuries were reported.
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
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 11
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 powerful low far northwest of the Aloha State produced surf of 15 to 30 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, and along the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 10 to 20 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai. No significant property damage or injuries 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 Feb 9, 4:04 PM HST, 1 hour 56 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 4:04 PM HST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 404 PM HST MON FEB 9 2015 .SYNOPSIS... STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES DOWN THE ISLAND CHAIN. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FELT OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND WINDWARD AREAS OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS. A BATCH OF MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL BRING SHOWERS TO SOUTH FACING SLOPES OF MAUI COUNTY AND PORTIONS OF THE BIG ISLAND. RAINFALL ALONG THE FRONT WILL AFFECT KAUAI THIS EVENING. THE WEAKENING FRONT WILL REACH OAHU TONIGHT... MAUI COUNTY TUESDAY MORNING AND THE BIG ISLAND TUESDAY NIGHT. EXPECT DRY WEST WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WITH COOLER THAN NORMAL NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS TAKE OVER THURSDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER APPROACHING FRONT. && .DISCUSSION... GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE SMALLER ISLANDS TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES DOWN THE ISLAND CHAIN. WIND GUSTS WILL BE STRONGEST OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND OVER WINDWARD AREAS OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS AS WINDS ACCELERATE OVER AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SLOPES. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND WINDWARD AREAS OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS. WINDS MAY DIMINISH OVER KAUAI CLOSER TO MIDNIGHT AS WINDS RELAX AND TURN WESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT. ALONG WITH THE GUSTY WINDS... THE FRONT WILL BRING CLOUDS AND RAIN TO KAUAI THIS EVENING... REACHING OAHU LATE TONIGHT... MAUI COUNTY TUESDAY MORNING... AND THE BIG ISLAND TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE ISLANDS BUT SOME SHOWERS WILL INTERACT WITH THE TERRAIN BRINGING THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW FLOOD ADVISORIES. DRY WEST WINDS WILL FILL IN BEHIND THE FRONT AND REMAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES WILL DROP OVER THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS WITH LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS AND DIMINISHING WINDS CONTRIBUTING TO THE COOLING TREND. THURSDAY... LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES AS A WEAK SURFACE HIGH MOVES FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE ISLANDS. WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AGAIN THIS FRIDAY AS A SECOND FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL INCREASE WITH THE SOUTHERLY WINDS AND NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURE WILL BOUNCE BACK TO NORMAL. ANOTHER WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SMALLER ISLANDS MAY BE NECESSARY FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WITH A SIMILAR LOOKING SCENARIO FOR WINDS AND RAIN AS THE PRESENT FRONT. SHOWERS WILL PICK OVER KAUAI AND OAHU SATURDAY... AND MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG ISLAND SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS POSTED FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS AND LOOKS TO REMAIN INTO THE WEEKEND BEFORE GRADUALLY DROPPING SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE HIGH WINDS ARE IN RESPONSE TO A STATIONARY MID-ATMOSPHERIC LOW PARKED OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC. THE LOW IS CREATING A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT AT SUMMIT LEVEL BRINGING DAMAGING WESTERLY WINDS. && .AVIATION... A FRONT OVER KAUAI LATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL REACH OAHU NEAR MIDNIGHT THEN DOWN TO MAUI COUNTY LATE TONIGHT. AIRMET SIERRA FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION IS POSTED FOR S THROUGH W SLOPES OF KAUAI AND MAY BE NEEDED FOR OTHER AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. EXPECT SEVERAL HOURS OF MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AS THE FRONT PASSES WITH BRIEF LOWERED VISIBILITY IN SHRA. AIRMET SIERRA ALSO REMAINS IN PLACE FOR SOUTHEAST BIG ISLAND SLOPES DUE TO AN AREA OF TROPICAL MOISTURE BEING PULLED UP FROM THE SOUTH. THIS MOISTURE HAS BEEN DRAWN NORTHWARD TO LANAI...MAUI...AND MOLOKAI IN THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS...AND AN AIRMET WILL BE POSTED FOR SOUTH SLOPES OF THESE ISLANDS SHORTLY. EXPECT THIS AIRMET TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. A STRONG S TO SW LOW LEVEL FLOW HAS DEVELOPED TODAY AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AND PERSISTENT AREAS OF WAVE CLOUDS TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS SUPPORT THE PRESENCE OF LOW LEVEL TURBULENCE. AS A RESULT... AIRMET TANGO REMAINS POSTED FOR MODERATE TURBULENCE TO THE NORTHEAST OF MOUNTAINS...WITH ISOL SEVERE TURBULENCE STILL POSSIBLE. EXPECT AIRMET TANGO TO REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH AT LEAST THE EVENING FOR ALL ISLANDS. && .MARINE... A BROAD AND SLOW MOVING GALE LOW OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL PACIFIC IS PRODUCING AN ELEVATED NW SWELL THAT WILL LAST WELL INTO THE WEEK...AFFECTING NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES. THIS SWELL WILL REACH KAUAI THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN FILL IN THROUGH THE ISLANDS TONIGHT AND TUESDAY....BRINGING WARNING LEVEL SURF. THE SWELL IS EXPECTED TO PEAK TUESDAY...AND REMAIN WITHIN WARNING CRITERIA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. TUESDAY...THE LARGE SWELL WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE KONA COAST OF THE BIG ISLAND WHERE A HIGH SURF WARNING MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR MOST COASTAL WATERS IS IN EFFECT. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BOTH INCREASE TODAY WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS INCREASING AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND THE NEW NW SWELL ENTERING THE AREA. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST TUESDAY FOR KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI MOUNTAINS-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-OLOMANA-CENTRAL OAHU- WAIANAE MOUNTAINS-MOLOKAI WINDWARD-LANAI MAUKA-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA-HALEAKALA SUMMIT. HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY 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 AM TUESDAY TO 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY FOR KONA. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY 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- PAILOLO CHANNEL-ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL-BIG ISLAND WINDWARD WATERS- BIG ISLAND LEEWARD WATERS. && MORRISON...DISCUSSION AND MARINE DWROE...AVIATION
In the hours before
Local storm report, Feb 9, 2:13 PM HST, 3 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
213 PM HST MON FEB 09 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG KAILUA 21.40N 157.74W
02/09/2015 HONOLULU HI EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE POWER OUTAGES IN THE ENCHANTED LAKES AREA.
1142 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG KAILUA 21.40N 157.74W
02/09/2015 HONOLULU HI FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
PORTION OF ROOF BLOWN OFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON KEOLU DR.
1230 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WAIMANALO 21.35N 157.73W
02/09/2015 HONOLULU HI FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
KALANIANAOLE HWY CLOSED DUE TO DOWNED POLE BLOCKING
ROADWAY.
0149 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 10 SE PUKALANI 20.73N 156.23W
02/09/2015 MAUI HI BROADCAST MEDIA
HOSMER GROVE CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WINDS AND DOWNED TREES.
&&
HFOThe radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
11 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 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
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 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
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 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
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Windward
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 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
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Windward Haleakala
- When
- February 9, 6:00 PM HST to February 13, 9:00 AM 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
- Winter Weather in Delaware, February 9 to 10, 2015
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 9 to 10, 2015
- Winter Weather in Maryland, February 9 to 10, 2015
- Strong Wind and Heavy Rain in Hawaii, February 9, 2015
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 9, 2015
- Winter Weather in Iowa, February 9, 2015
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 9, 2015
- Winter Weather in Maryland, February 9 to 10, 2015
- High Wind in Oregon, February 9, 2015
- Winter Weather in Virginia, February 9 to 10, 2015
- High Wind in Oregon, February 9, 2015
- Wildfire in New Mexico, February 9, 2015
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, February 2015
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: 555349, 555350, 555351, 555352, 555353, 555354, 555355, 555356, 555357, 555358, 555359.