Elevated water levels from a period of high surf forced the closure of Mahukona Beach Park.
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The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.
Elevated water levels from a period of high surf forced the closure of Mahukona Beach Park.
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 Mar 8, 9:57 AM HST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Honolulu HI 957 AM HST Wed Mar 8 2023 .SYNOPSIS... A front across the central islands will continue to move eastward through tonight, bringing showers and windy conditions to the state. Winds will ease with drier and cooler conditions filtering into the islands Thursday through the weekend. Warmer weather will return early next week. && .DISCUSSION... This morning, a surface cold front near Maui is progressing across the state from west to east. Latest satellite and radar imagery this shows bands of broken to overcast low clouds and brief heavy showers moving east from roughly Oahu to the Alenuihaha Channel. Rain rates in excess of 1 inch per hour have been observed with these showers, especially over the Haleakala slopes where showers were more persistent and a few streams saw modest rises. More recent observations show that the bands of showers have become more progressive, however, which should keep any flooding concerns in check for the rest of the morning into early afternoon. Showery weather will likely continue over the Big Island through tonight and mainly focus across west-facing slopes and coasts. They will diminish behind the front, where satellite- derived precipitable water shows much drier air moving in from the northwest. Some adjustments were made to the forecast for today and tonight with this morning's update to better account for the latest trends. The main concern throughout the next 15 hours or so will be strong west to southwest winds across the island chain. A few sites have already reported sustained winds of 30 mph and/or gusts exceeding 50 mph this morning. Winds will continue to gradually strengthen today and remain quite strong through this evening. As a result, a Wind Advisory remains in effect for lower elevations across the entire state through midnight tonight. The strongest winds are likely to be over typically windward locations northeast of the mountains. Given recent rainfall and the fact that the winds will be blowing from the opposite direction from our normal trade winds, there will likely be a higher risk of downed branches and trees. At the summits of the Big Island, a High Wind Warning remains in effect until Sunday evening. Dangerously strong winds in excess of 100 mph have been observed and this will continue to be possible throughout the next several days. Strong winds are also expected at the summit of Haleakala, where a High Wind Warning is in effect through 6 AM Thursday. Winds will ease to moderate levels Thursday and become light Friday through early next week as a weak ridge slides eastward over the island chain. Drier conditions will encompass the entire state Thursday through early next week, allowing for noticeably cooler conditions. Dewpoints are expected drop into the 50s. Maximum high temperatures will struggle to reach 80 degrees, and lows will bottom out in the upper 50s to lower 60s Thursday through Saturday. && .AVIATION... A cold front currently near Maui county will continue its eastward progression today and will produce widespread showers and periods of MVFR conditions to the eastern half of the state. Gusty westerly winds are expected to steadily increase throughout the morning then gradually decrease this evening. AIRMET Tango is in effect for tempo low level moderate turbulence along northeast sides of all islands due to the strong southwest winds. AIRMET Sierra is posted for tempo mountain obscurations on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Maui due to clouds and showers. Gradual improvement is expected starting from Kauai later today as drier air moves in from the west. && .MARINE... A cold front presently over Maui and adjacent waters will advance eastward, shifting east of the Big Island by late this afternoon and exiting the local waters this evening. Breezy to locally strong SW winds in advance of the front will transition to strong and gusty WSW to W winds in its wake, especially over the western half of the island chain. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for all waters through tonight. Westerlies will gradually ease Thursday and Friday, though seas will likely remain above the 10 foot SCA threshold into Friday for most areas due to a very large northwest swell. Gentle to locally moderate westerly winds are forecast for this weekend. A large long period NW (310-320) swell will build through today, peak tonight, then slowly decline Thursday and Friday. The source storm will advance southeastward at a very low latitude, with its captured fetch likely generating a swell in excess of 20 ft during the peak. Surf will exceed High Surf Warning levels along most north and west facing shores, including Leeward Big Island, by this evening. In addition, the combination of large wind waves from the west and a mix of medium and longer period swell energy could lead to overwash of some coastal infrastructure and beach erosion, mainly this evening through Thursday morning along exposed north and west facing shores. The swell will decline and shift out of the north- northwest Friday through the weekend. Minimal trade wind swell is expected this week, though there is some potential for localized wave wrap along east facing shores exposed to the large northwest swell late today into Friday. Rough surf will briefly increasing along south-facing shores over the eastern end of the state due to strong SW winds in advance of the front. && .HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until midnight HST tonight for Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and lower elevations of Maui and the Big Island. High Surf Warning until 6 PM HST Thursday for north and west facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai and for north facing shores of Maui. High Wind Warning until 6 AM HST Thursday for Haleakala Summit. High Surf Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM HST Thursday for west facing shores of the Big Island. High Wind Warning until 6 PM HST Sunday for Big Island Summits. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM HST Thursday for all Hawaiian waters. && DISCUSSION...Vaughan AVIATION...Kino MARINE...JVC
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
905 AM HST WED MAR 8 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0857 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WNW KANEOHE MARINE BA 21.45N 157.77W
03/08/2023 M56 MPH HONOLULU HI AWOS
AWOS STATION PHNG KANEOHE MCAS.
&&
TAVThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
An extended period of dangerously large breaking waves of 12 to 16 ft affected the Big Island's west facing shores.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Hawaii in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Hawaii, March 2023
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: 1084541.