How big are waves in Hawaii? How big was the BIGGEST wave in Hawaii?
Hawaiian waves are measured from the back, so a 6ft wave in California is equivalent to a 3ft wave in Hawaii. The largest waves are in the winter time on the North sides of the islands. During the winter months the waves on the North shores range 4 to 40 feet. During the summer months the North shores range 1 to 3 feet. On the South shores the waves range 3 to 15 feet in the summer and 1-3 feet in the winter. The size of the waves is determined by the way the islands were formed and by storms that occur in the Pacific Ocean. Earthquakes in Japan and Alaska can cause huge Tsunami s (some call them tidal waves) in Hawaii. The energy of the earthquake travels through the ocean and can create waves taller than a 16 story building! (That’s 160 feet!) When these occur many people are killed or injured and buildings and homes are destroyed. The last Tsunami that hit Hawaii was in the 1970 s. In the wintertime we do get large waves that are generated by storms in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska
