Photo Credit: James Grenz

Forecast for Big Island Leeward

Swell Summary

A moderate, long period northwest to north swell (340 degrees) is arriving this morning. The forerunners of this new swell reached the northwest offshore buoys last night and are now just arriving along the northwest Kauai coastline during the pre-dawn hours. This swell will build through the day and peak tonight into Thursday morning with a Thursday afternoon decline. A reinforcing north swell (010 degrees) is expected to fill in just behind this swell Thursday night and peak Friday. The later of these two swells could lift surf to near High Surf Advisory thresholds during this Friday or Friday night peak.

Background South Pacific energy will hold south shore surf. South surf should experience a small late week bump as new medium period, low southwest to southeast swells fill in Friday and Saturday.

Surf along east facing shores should experience some wrap from the pair of north swells the next few days. East wind wave swell will be on the rise into the weekend in response to strengthened trade winds.

NORTH EAST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Semi glassy/semi bumpy in the morning with NNW winds less than 5mph. Glassy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the NNE.

NORTH WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Light sideshore texture in the morning with ENE winds 5-10mph. Semi glassy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the NW.

WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Glassy in the morning with N winds less than 5mph. Semi glassy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the WSW.

SOUTH EAST

am        pm  

Surf: Small scale (ankle to knee high) surf.

Conditions: Fairly clean in the morning with NNE winds 5-10mph. Light sideshore texture conditions for the afternoon as the winds increase to 10-15mph.

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov and SwellInfo.com