High Surf in Hawaii, May 31, 2022

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, May 31, 2022
Start: 2022-05-31T04:00
End: 2022-05-31T23:59
Location: Hawaii

May 31, 2022 · NWS HFO · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

A swell from the southern hemisphere produced surf of 8 to 16 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. No significant property damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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 southern hemisphere produced surf of 8 to 16 feet along the south-facing shores of all the Hawaiian Islands. No significant property damage or injuries were reported. This episode continued into the beginning of June.

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 May 31, 3:27 AM HST, 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 3:27 AM HST, 33 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Honolulu HI
327 AM HST Tue May 31 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
Light to moderate easterly trade winds will continue through
midweek, with clouds and light showers favoring windward and
mauka locations overnight through the morning periods. Trade
winds will trend down Friday through the weekend, potentially
enough for a localized land and sea breeze regime to become
established over leeward areas. Rainfall accumulations will
remain light with the dry and stable conditions in place.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Guidance remains in good agreement through the upcoming weekend
and depicts the stable and dry trade wind pattern continuing.
Any windward rainfall accumulations will remain on the light side
given the dry profiles above a strong trade wind inversion
ranging from 5000 to 7000 ft. The upper clouds that were streaming
over the eastern end of the state Monday have all but diminished
early this morning as the weak upper low drifts westward. Upper
heights will begin to rise later today through Wednesday, which
supports the suppressed environment with limited rainfall chances
persisting. Easterly trades may increase slightly through midweek
as the ridge nudges northward, but are expected to ease Friday
through the weekend. If this unfolds, localized land and sea
breeze conditions will become a possibility.

&&

.AVIATION...
A high pressure system north of the Hawaiian Islands will produce
moderate to locally breezy easterly trade winds today and tonight.
A stable environment will limit cloud cover and shower activity,
producing VFR conditions statewide.

No AIRMETs are currently in effect and none are expected.

&&

.MARINE...
High pressure building far north of the state will gradually
strengthen the trade winds and become widespread moderate to
fresh speeds across the coastal waters by this afternoon. A Small
Craft Advisory is in effect for the windier waters around Maui
County and the Big Island through tonight and maybe extended if
trade wind speeds remain elevated. Trade winds could decrease
towards the end of the week as the ridge moves closer to the
state.

Nearshore buoys are showing long-period energy is still filling
in early this morning. We will continue to see a steady increase
in surf heights to solid High Surf Advisory (HSA) levels by late
this afternoon. A HSA is currently in effect for all south facing
shores through Wednesday night. Surf heights may reach low-end
warning level this evening if surf heights come in higher than
guidance. Surf heights are expected decline Thursday into the
weekend. South shore surf heights will return to the summer
average levels by the weekend.

The current small northwest swell will slowly decline today and
tonight with mainly background energy by tomorrow. A small,
medium period north swell may fill in on Friday with a slight bump
to surf heights along north facing shores. Surf along east facing
shores will remain smaller than average due to the lack of strong
trade winds. The one exception will be for areas exposed to the
south swell.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
High Surf Advisory until 6 AM HST Thursday for south facing shores
of all Hawaiian islands.

Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM HST Wednesday for Maalaea Bay-
Pailolo Channel-Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big
Island Southeast Waters.

&&

DISCUSSION...Gibbs
AVIATION...Bohlin
MARINE...Almanza

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 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, Kauai Southwest

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Kauai Southwest 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: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 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, Kahoolawe

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Kahoolawe forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Maui Leeward West

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Maui Leeward West forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kona

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 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, Kauai South

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Kauai South forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, East Honolulu

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: East Honolulu forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Honolulu Metro

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Honolulu Metro forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Ewa Plain

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Ewa Plain forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai Southeast

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Molokai Southeast forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai West

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Molokai West forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Molokai Leeward South

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward South forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Lanai Leeward

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Lanai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Lanai South

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Lanai South 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 South

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley South forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kipahulu

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Kipahulu forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, South Maui/Upcountry

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: South Maui/Upcountry forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, South Haleakala

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: South Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Big Island South

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Big Island South forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Big Island Southeast

When: May 31, 4:00 AM HST to 11:59 PM HST
Where: Big Island Southeast 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

Every storm in Hawaii in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, May 2022

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: 1017915, 1017916, 1017917, 1017918, 1017919, 1017920, 1017921, 1017922, 1017923, 1017924, 1017925, 1017926, 1017927, 1017928, 1017929, 1017930, 1017931, 1017932, 1017933, 1017934, 1017935.