High Surf, Niihau
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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, January 10 to 17, 2018
A series of swells from the northwest generated surf of 20 to 45 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; 15 to 30 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai; and 5 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island. Ocean safety officials were busy with assistance to surfers…
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
- 14
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 series of swells from the northwest generated surf of 20 to 45 feet along the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau and Kauai, the north-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii; 15 to 30 feet along the west-facing shores of Oahu and Molokai; and 5 to 10 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island. Ocean safety officials were busy with assistance to surfers and other beach-goers as the surf became dangerous to all but those most experienced. There were no reports of serious property damage or injuries.
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 10, 3:55 AM HST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 10, 3:55 AM HST, 3 hours 5 minutes before
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</html>The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
14 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, Kauai Windward
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kauai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kauai Leeward
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Oahu Koolau forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Windward
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Windward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Molokai Leeward
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Molokai Leeward forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Maui Windward West
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Maui Central Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Windward Haleakala
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Windward Haleakala forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kona
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 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, Big Island North and East
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Big Island North and East forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Surf, Kohala
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM HST to January 17, 9:00 PM HST
- Where
- Kohala forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Montana, January 10 to 12, 2018
- Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 10, 2018
- Avalanche in Idaho, January 10, 2018
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 10 to 11, 2018
- High Wind in Kansas, January 10 to 11, 2018
- High Wind in Texas, January 10 to 11, 2018
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, January 10 to 11, 2018
- Winter Storm in Montana, January 10, 2018
- Blizzard in North Dakota, January 10 to 11, 2018
- Blizzard in Minnesota, January 10 to 11, 2018
- Heavy Snow in Minnesota, January 10 to 11, 2018
- Heavy Snow in North Dakota, January 10 to 11, 2018
More
Every storm in Hawaii in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, January 2018
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 730167, 730168, 730169, 730171, 730172, 730173, 730174, 730175, 730176, 730177, 730178, 730179, 730180, 730181.