Large Swell Eases Today, More Energy on Horizon
Alerts (as of 1:00 a.m.)
Small Craft Advisory: All waters and channels through 6 p.m. Thursday.
**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Big Island projected winds, tides, swell direction & period and expected wave heights.**
Hilo side: Wave heights are forecast to be shoulder high to overhead today for the best exposures.
Kona side: Wave heights are expected to be waist/shoulder high today with head high sets possible.
South: Wave heights are expected to be waist/shoulder high today with head high sets possible.
Our current west-northwest swell is forecast to continue easing Thursday but it won’t be long before another swell builds back in. Over the weekend, back-to-back large swells are expected with the first filling in Friday and peaking Saturday at advisory levels. The second swell is expected to be much larger, filling in late Sunday and peaking Sunday night into Monday at warning levels.
The front that is going to push down the island chain should create a northeast trade swell that could coincide with the peak of the second west-northwest swell.
Nothing significant expected out of the South Pacific any time soon.
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.