High Surf in American Samoa, March 19 to 20, 2020

Name: High Surf in American Samoa, March 19 to 20, 2020
Start: 2020-03-19T00:00
End: 2020-03-20T00:00
Location: American Samoa

March 19 to 20, 2020 · NWS ASO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A storm near New Zealand produced large swells with long periods that impacted the southern shores of American Samoa.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 storm near New Zealand produced large swells with long periods that impacted the southern shores of American Samoa.

Event by event

1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Tutuila

When: March 19, 12:00 AM SST to March 20, 12:00 AM SST
Where: Tutuila forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Reports of a reef fisherman swept out to sea around 5 PM SST on the 19th. This report was observed on social media and confirmed by the Emergency Operations Center. There were also numerous reports/observations of waves and ocean debris on main roads that impacted south facing shores across the island. Periods of up to 20 seconds were observed by the Aunu'u PacIOOS buoy during this event.

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, March 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: 874511.