Outlook through Saturday January 19: A large northwest swell is forecast to spread down the island chain today and tonight. The swell is running several hours behind schedule, so the peak of the swell and surf will occur around midnight tonight, then hold through Sunday. A reinforcing northwest swell, although slightly smaller, may extend the warning level surf through Monday night before the swell starts subsiding. Another large pulse will arrive from the north on Thursday night, which may lead to another High Surf Warning event. Only small background south swells should be expected.
Surf heights are forecast heights of the face, or front, of waves. The surf forecast is based on the significant wave height, the average height of the one third largest waves, at the locations of the largest breakers. Some waves may be more than twice as high as the significant wave height. Expect to encounter rip currents in or near any surf zone.
North East
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ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
Surf: Waist high NNW medium period swell for the morning with occasional chest sets. This rotates more NW and builds in the afternoon with sets up to double overhead high.
Conditions: Choppy/sideshore current with SE winds 15-20mph in the morning shifting ESE for the afternoon.
North West
ampm
Surf: Knee to waist high WNW ground swell in the morning builds in the afternoon with occasional sets up to shoulder high.
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Conditions: Glassy in the morning with E winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting WNW 5-10mph.
West
ampm
Surf: Waist high WNW ground swell for the morning with occasional stomach sets. This builds to chest to head high for the afternoon.
Conditions: Glassy in the morning with SSE winds less than 5mph. Semi choppy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting WNW 5-10mph.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
South East
ampm
Surf: Waist to stomach high ESE wind swell with occasional chest high sets.
Conditions: Bumpy/semi bumpy with E winds 5-10mph in the morning shifting ENE for the afternoon.
Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA
**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Hawaii County projected winds, tides, swell direction & period and expected wave heights.**
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