Jan 3, 2012
(Honolulu, Hawaii)
Hawaii Health Guide Health E-News

Surf Advisory: Jan 3-7th
Although the forecasters keep revising the arrival time, the First BIG Swell of 2012 is expected to arrive today in Hawaii coming in from Kauai.
A high surf warning is in effect from 10 a.m. today through 6 a.m. Thursday. Small Craft advisory issued for all islands:

Check out the webcams: http://livesurfcamhawaii.com/oahu/sunsetbeach.htm

Forecasters expect surf to dramatically rise on Kauai starting this morning (Jan 3) and on Oahu, Molokai, and Maui this afternoon.

Surf heights will peak Wednesday morning, but warning level surf will remain through Wednesday Jan 4th night.

A high surf warning is in effect from 10 a.m. today through 6 a.m. Thursday.

NORTH: 25-35 foot waves are expected along Oahu's North Shore. Pat Caldwell reports could be largest swell of the year: "early indications are that the surf could be the biggest swell of the season so far with waves breaking on the outer reefs starting late today and “extra-large to marginally giant” waves peaking late Wednesday morning."

EAST: Surf along east facing shores will be 2 to 4 feet through Wednesday. Sets to 12 feet or greater are possible along areas with northerly exposure beginning late this afternoon.

SOUTH: Surf along south facing shores will be flat through Tuesday.

WEST: West-facing shores should see waves of 15 to 25 feet, the city's Department of Emergency Management said.

High Surf advisory for West Hawaii in effect until Jan 7th  National Weather:  http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/SRF.php

Outlook through Monday Jan 9:
Surf along the north shore is smaller this morning with calm winds. A massive northwest swell will begin filling along the north shore and west side beaches this afternoon building overnight into Wednesday. Sets along north shore outer reefs will likely reach up to 40 feet on the face through Wednesday. Surf will drop thereafter, however will maintain elevated and hazardous levels through the remainder of the week. 

WRAP: A fair amount of swell will wrap into some areas on the windward side. The prevailing easterly swell will remain small however inconsistent and much larger sets may pop up at times. The south shore will remain flat.

Wave / Face Height: 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, in the zone of maximum refraction. 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.

Tim Craig, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. “We’re still looking at some very high surf. This will be big.”

Craig said the peak of the swell will coincide with a 1.9 foot high tide at midnight, raising concerns that the water will rise over Kamehameha Highway.

BE AWARE OF DANGEROUS SHORE CONDITIONS: A high surf warning indicates that dangerous, battering waves will pound the shoreline, resulting in dangerous swimming conditions and deadly rip currents, the Weather Service said.

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