High Surf in American Samoa, June 15, 2020

Name: High Surf in American Samoa, June 15, 2020
Start: 2020-06-15T13:00
End: 2020-06-15T15:00
Location: American Samoa

June 15, 2020 · NWS ASO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong high pressure system to the south of the islands delivered fresh to strong trades over the territory. This episode enhanced steep seas of 12 to 15 feet.

The toll

Deaths: 2
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 ASO wrote it up.

A strong high pressure system to the south of the islands delivered fresh to strong trades over the territory. This episode enhanced steep seas of 12 to 15 feet.

Event by event

1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Tutuila

When: June 15, 1:00 PM SST to 3:00 PM SST
Where: Tutuila forecast zone
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Buoy

Observations from the PacIOOS buoy reported surfs over 16 feet with steep wave heights near 12 to 15 feet. This combination along with strong winds caused a small craft to capsize near the auasi port of entry. 15 passengers were onboard and had drifted to sea for nearly 2 hours until help was found. Unfortunately 2 passed away during this incident.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
High Surf, Tutuila	2020-06-15	60	Male	Boating	Direct
High Surf, Tutuila	2020-06-15	50	Male	Boating	Direct

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 American Samoa in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in American Samoa, June 2020

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: 909838.