November 24, 1903 Tsunami: Hawaii, United States
A tsunami of meteorological origin began at Hawaii, United States on November 24, 1903. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- November 24, 1903
- Source
- Hawaii, United States
- Cause
- Meteorological
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1903, November 24. Incorrect date for Nov 17, 1903 event of meteorological origin.
1903, November 24. The sea became agitated at Punaluu. Waves suddenly appeared on the previously quiet surface and lasted 10 minutes; their origin could not be explained. At the same time, a black column of unusual size appeared above the Mauna Loa volcano (Reference #415).
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punaluu, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1903The 1900sTsunamis of United StatesThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI tsunami event 1305.