Kiko fizzles out north of Hawaiian Islands as threats of large waves, rip currents dwindle

Watch: Large waves slam surfers in Honolulu as former Tropical Storm Kiko spins north of Hawaii

Drone video shows surfers being smacked by massive waves are former Tropical Storm Kiko spun to the north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

HONOLULU – Residents in Hawaii can breathe a sigh of relief after what was once major Hurricane Kiko finally fizzled out north of the island chain on Wednesday.

Kiko had been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm late Monday night after undergoing rapid weakening as the storm system spun close to Hawaii.

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Watch: Waves crash onshore at Hawaiian Paradise Park

This video shows waves crashing onshore at Hawaiian Paradise Park as Hurricane Kiko spins hundreds of miles away from the Hawaiian Islands on Sept. 7, 2025.

By early Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center had Kiko barely hanging onto tropical storm strength before it was finally downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone in the final advisory.

While then-Hurricane Kiko wasn’t forecast to make landfall in Hawaii, that didn’t stop local officials and residents from preparing for potential impacts.

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Heavy surf in Hawaii on Sept. 9, 2025.

(FOX Weather)

A statewide state of emergency was declared, and residents began to stock up on some supplies in case the forecast for Kiko had changed at the last minute.

While some precipitation did fall in Hawaii as Kiko moved over the Central Pacific Ocean, the biggest impacts by far were risks of life-threatening surf and rip currents at east-facing beaches from the Big Island to Kauai.

Lifeguards at a beach station in Honolulu were broadcasting warnings to beachgoers at a particularly dangerous section of the shoreline.

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"We lead the nation in neck and back injuries," the lifeguard said on a megaphone. "If you are not comfortable in heavy shore-break conditions, or you don't have the proper equipment, this is not the beach to test your limits. Safer options are just 10 minutes north of here."

The National Weather Service office in Honolulu issued High Surf Advisories and High Surf Warnings for most of the main Hawaiian Islands, warning of possible waves up to 15 feet in some spots.

Those advisories and warnings were discontinued by Wednesday morning.