SSW Peaks Today, More Swells on Horizon

Alerts

A High Surf Advisory is posted for south facing shores through 6 p.m. Friday for wave heights up to 6 to 8 foot faces. The swell is expected to build Thursday night and peak Friday. 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 waters to the west and south of the Big Island through 6 a.m. Saturday. Northeast to east winds up to 25 knots are expected along with seas up to 10 feet.

**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 waist/shoulder high today. The best breaks catching the trade swell could get a bit bigger on the sets.

Kona side: Wave heights knee/waist/chest high are expected today as a new SSW builds. Best breaks could get larger on the sets.

South: Wave heights waist/chest high are expected for the breaks open to the building south-southwest swell. The best breaks could head high on the sets.

A new SSW swell will continue to build and peak on Friday. Advisory level surf is expected for south shores. Another long period SSW swell is expected Saturday, and is forecast to peak Sunday afternoon into Monday morning.

Trade winds will continue to generate short-period choppy surf at moderate levels along east facing shores through the rest of this week and the weekend. Other than that, there is nothing of note out of the NPAC.

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