Hawaii, 2018

High Surf in Hawaii, September 5 to 8, 2018

September 5 to 8, 2018 · NWS HFO · 9 events in 8 counties and zones

Swells from Hurricane Norman generated surf of 8 to 15 feet along the east-facing shores of the Big island of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai. The surf was large enough for officials to close the beach at Richardson Ocean Park on the Big Island on the 5th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
9

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.

Swells from Hurricane Norman generated surf of 8 to 15 feet along the east-facing shores of the Big island of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai. The surf was large enough for officials to close the beach at Richardson Ocean Park on the Big Island on the 5th. There were no reports of serious injuries or property damage.

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 Sep 5, 9:45 AM HST, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 5, 9:45 AM HST, 15 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 PM HST
Where
Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 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
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 PM HST
Where
Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, South Big Island

When
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 PM HST
Where
South Big Island forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Big Island North and East

When
September 5, 10:00 AM HST to September 8, 12:00 PM HST
Where
Big Island North and East forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Windward

When
September 6, 6:00 AM HST to September 8, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When
September 6, 6:00 AM HST to September 8, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

High Surf, Olomana

When
September 6, 6:00 AM HST to September 8, 6:00 PM HST
Where
Olomana forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

More

Every storm in Hawaii in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, September 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: 778504, 778505, 778506, 778507, 778508, 778509, 778501, 778502, 778503.