Outlook through Wednesday January 30: A large west-northwest swell will build across the area waters today, causing surf to rise along the island’s exposed north and west facing shores. A High Surf Advisory is good for these two shores through 6 pm HST Thursday. A second west-northwest swell of slightly smaller size is slated for Thursday night and Friday. This swell may extend the advisory into Friday night. The east facing shores will have surf near advisory level today, thanks to a pocket of elevated trade wind swell generate by strong trades upwind of the islands several days ago. A foot or so of this swell may wrap into the exposed south facing shores today and Thursday, resulting in a little bump there. Otherwise, a small background south swell will maintain small surf along south facing shores through Wednesday.
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
ampm
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
Surf: Chest to shoulder high mix of NW long period swell and E medium period swell for the morning with occasional head sets. The surf builds from the NW in the afternoon with sets up to slightly overhead high.
Conditions: Sideshore texture/chop with SSE winds 10-15mph in the morning shifting SE 15-20mph in the afternoon.
North West
ampm
Surf: Shoulder to head high WNW long period swell for the morning with occasional 1-2′ overhead high sets. This drops in the afternoon with occasional head high sets.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
Conditions: Semi glassy in the morning with NE winds less than 5mph. Semi choppy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting WSW 5-10mph.
West
ampm
Surf: 1-3′ overhead high WNW long period swell with occasional well overhead high sets.
Conditions: Clean in the morning with ENE winds less than 5mph. Semi glassy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the W.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
South East
ampm
Surf: Chest to shoulder high ESE medium period swell.
Conditions: Semi glassy/semi bumpy in the morning with ENE winds 5-10mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the E.
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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