High Surf in Hawaii, January 9 to 10, 2015

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, January 9 to 10, 2015
Start: 2015-01-09T14:00
End: 2015-01-10T14:00
Location: Hawaii

January 9 to 10, 2015 · NWS HFO · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A swell from the northwest caused surf of 10 to 16 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 8 to 12 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, 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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

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 9, 10:00 AM HST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 9, 10:00 AM HST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1000 AM HST FRI JAN 9 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
DRY AND PLEASANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS
HIGH PRESSURE LINGERS FAR NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. WINDS WILL
GENERALLY BE ON THE LIGHT SIDE WITH DAYTIME SEA BREEZES AND
NIGHTTIME LAND BREEZES PREVAILING.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER IS PRESENTLY LOCATED FAR TO THE
NORTHEAST OF THE STATE WITH ITS ASSOCIATED RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING
SOUTHWEST TO A POSITION A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILES TO OUR NORTH.
THIS PLACES THE ISLANDS IN A LIGHT TRADE WIND ENVIRONMENT. UNDER
THIS WIND REGIME LOCAL LAND AND SEA BREEZES WILL OCCUR OVER MANY
AREAS. THE AIRMASS IS VERY DRY IN THE ISLAND VICINITY SO LITTLE IF
ANY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

A WEAKENING FRONT WILL GRADUALLY APPROACH THE AREA SUNDAY AND MONDAY
NUDGING THE RIDGE AXIS DOWN OVER THE STATE. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO
REMAIN LIGHT INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL
AND DISSIPATE BEFORE REACHING THE ISLANDS WITH DRY WEATHER
PREVAILING. ANOTHER FRONT IS FORECAST TO APPROACH THE AREA DURING
THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK KEEPING WINDS ON THE LIGHT SIDE AS A
SURFACE RIDGE LINGERS OVER THE AREA. BASICALLY DRY WEATHER WILL
CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK WITH ONLY A FEW SHOWERS EXPECTED
ACROSS THE AREA. SOME VOLCANIC HAZE MAY ALSO MOVE UP OVER SOME AREAS
UNDER THIS LIGHT WIND REGIME.

&&

.AVIATION...
COULD SEE SOME MVFR CIGS AROUND 025 AT PHNY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT
WILL LEAVE OUT OF THE TAF FOR NOW. OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO PREVAIL AT THE TERMINALS THROUGH 10/18Z. NO AIRMETS ARE
IN EFFECT WITH NONE EXPECTED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY.

&&

.MARINE...
A NEW ADVISORY LEVEL NORTHWEST WILL GRADUALLY FILL IN TODAY...PEAK
LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY...THEN GRADUALLY LOWER THROUGH
SUNDAY. ANOTHER...SLIGHTLY LARGER ADVISORY LEVEL NORTHWEST SWELL IS
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ON MONDAY...PEAK MONDAY NIGHT...THEN GRADUALLY
LOWER TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. AN EVEN LARGER WARNING LEVEL NORTHWEST
SWELL IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...PEAK ON
THURSDAY...THEN SUBSIDE SLOWLY NEXT FRIDAY. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT
SWELLS ARE EXPECTED.

WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS OVER
THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...HOWEVER THE ABOVE MENTIONED NORTHWEST SWELLS
MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS TO REACH OR EXCEED THE 10 FOOT
ADVISORY THRESHOLD AT TIMES OVER EXPOSED WATERS.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM HST SATURDAY
FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH
SHORE-OAHU KOOLAU-MOLOKAI-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-
WINDWARD HALEAKALA.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM HST SATURDAY
FOR MAUI COUNTY WINDWARD WATERS-ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL-BIG ISLAND
WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND LEEWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND SOUTHEAST
WATERS.

&&

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

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 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, Kauai Windward

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 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: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 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: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 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 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 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, Maui Central Valley

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 2:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: January 9, 2:00 PM HST to January 10, 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, January 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: 551785, 551786, 551787, 551788, 551789, 551790, 551791, 551792, 551793, 551794, 551795.