Long period northerly swell, developed from a storm in the north Pacific on Jan 17th and 18th, moved through the American Samoa coastal waters on the 22nd and 23rd. There were numerous reports from the northern shores of American Samoa that showed inundation from the high surf.
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.
The episode as NWS ASO wrote it up.
Long period northerly swell, developed from a storm in the north Pacific on Jan 17th and 18th, moved through the American Samoa coastal waters on the 22nd and 23rd. There were numerous reports from the northern shores of American Samoa that showed inundation from the high surf.
3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
On the afternoon of January 22nd, water from surf crashed over a seawall along the shoreline in the village of Fagasa. Social media video shows at least 6 inches of water on the roadway and flooding into properties located near the shoreline.
Facebook photos show a flooded park and church along the northern coastline in the village of Faleasao. Other pictures in the area show ocean debris that moved onto residential properties caused by surf from strong/long period northerly swell, which occurred during the afternoon of January 22nd through the morning of January 23rd. Surf heights are estimated to have reached up to 18 feet.
A resident from the village of Malota shared pictures of ocean debris along the coastline of the village and flooding damage to a traditional Samoan kitchen. Strong/long period northerly swell caused high surf during the afternoon of January 22nd through the morning of January 23rd. Surf heights are estimated to have reached up to 18 feet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in American Samoa in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in American Samoa, January 2024
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: 1149095, 1149096, 1149097.