Advisory Level SSW Swell Expected to Peak Today

Alerts

A High Surf Advisory has been posted for the south shore. The advisory will go into effect from 4:00 a.m. Wednesday to 10:00 a.m. Thursday for surf heights of 6 to 8 foot faces. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming difficult and dangerous.

A Small Craft Advisory is posted for the ʻAlenuihāhā channel as well as Big Island leeward and southeast waters through 6:00 p.m. Friday. East winds up to 30 knots are forecasted along with rough seas of 8 to 13 feet. 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: Chest/head high surf is expected today. Messy conditions due to the winds.

Kona side: Wave heights of waist/chest/shoulder high are expected for southerly exposures. Best breaks could reach head high or more on the sets.

South: Wave heights waist/chest/shoulder high today. Standout spots could get head high or more on the sets.

Our current south-southwest will peak on Wednesday in the head high range or more. Friday an incoming swell will overlap with the current one. That second pulse is expected to peak over the weekend.

A small north swell fades today with messy conditions because of on-shore winds. Another swell is expected late Thursday, peaking Friday up to shoulder high at the best spots.

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

Image: NOAA / NWS