Advisory Level Surf, Harbor Surges This Weekend

Alerts

A High Surf Advisory is posted for the windward side of the Big Island through 6 a.m. Sunday. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming difficult and dangerous.

A Marine Weather Statement has been issued for  harbor surges expected in Hilo harbor. Large breaking waves could occur at harbor entrances. Mariners should use extreme caution when entering or leaving port and when mooring or launching vessels.

A Small Craft Advisory is posted for all Big Island water through 6 a.m. Sunday. East winds up to 25 knots and seas up to 12 feet are expected. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.

**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Big Island projected winds, tides, swell direction & period and expected wave heights.**

Big Island Surf Forecast

Hilo side: Wave heights are expected overhead to double overhead today. The best breaks could get bigger on the sets. Hilo Bay can expect harbor surges as well.

Kona side: Wave heights knee/thigh/waist high are expected today. The best breaks could get up to belly/chest high on the sets. Wrap from the north-northeast could bring waist to shoulder high waves for exposed breaks.

South: Wave heights knee/waist high are expected for the breaks open to the south-southwest. Best breaks could get up to chest high on the sets. Trade swell mix is expected up to waist/chest high.

A combo of strong trades and increasing north-northeast swell will keep surf heights at or above advisory levels through Sunday morning. The north-northeast is expected to peak Saturday into Sunday with a fading trend beginning Sunday afternoon.

South-southwest swell bumps up slightly for the weekend. A modest south-southeast swell is expected Monday through Wednesday of next week created by a tropical disturbance currently south of the Big Island.

Keep in mind, surf heights are measured on the face of the wave from trough to crest. Heights vary from beach to beach, and at the same beach, from break to break.  

**Click here for your detailed Big Island weather report.**

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS