High Surf, Niihau
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 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 2 to 4, 2015
A swell from the north-northeast generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores, and 6 to 12 feet along the east-facing shores, of all the islands except Lanai. On the 3rd, the surf was high enough to close Bayfront Highway in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii for a time, and 7 kayakers had to be rescued from waters off Milolii Beach along the Na Pali Coast on Kauai because of the…
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
- 12
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 north-northeast generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores, and 6 to 12 feet along the east-facing shores, of all the islands except Lanai. On the 3rd, the surf was high enough to close Bayfront Highway in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii for a time, and 7 kayakers had to be rescued from waters off Milolii Beach along the Na Pali Coast on Kauai because of the high surf. However, there were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
12 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 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 North Shore
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 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
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Olomana
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Olomana 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 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 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
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Windward Haleakala
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 PM HST
- Where
- Windward Haleakala forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Big Island North and East
- When
- October 2, 12:00 PM HST to October 4, 4:00 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
- Marine Strong Wind in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, October 2, 2015
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in South Carolina, October 2 to 5, 2015
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, October 2 to 5, 2015
- Coastal Flood in Virginia, October 2 to 5, 2015
- Flood and Coastal Flood in North Carolina, October 2 to 5, 2015
- Strong Wind in North Carolina, October 2 to 5, 2015
- Flash Flood in Wyoming, October 2, 2015
- Coastal Flood and High Wind in Delaware, October 2 to 4, 2015
- Strong Wind in North Carolina, October 2 to 3, 2015
- Coastal Flood in Maryland, October 2 to 6, 2015
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, October 2 to 3, 2015
- Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, October 2, 2015
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 601506, 601507, 601508, 601509, 601510, 601511, 601512, 601513, 601514, 601515, 601516, 601517.