High surf warning for north, west shores, starts at midnight
A high surf warning has been issued for the north- and west-facing shores of most Hawaiian isles, starting at midnight tonight.
The National Weather Service says an extra-large, west-northwest to northwest swell is expected to fill in late tonight into Friday, and then peak Friday afternoon.
The high surf warning goes into effect from midnight tonight to 6 a.m. Saturday.
It covers the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai, and the west-facing shores of Maui.
>> On north-facing shores, surf is expected to build to 25 to 35 feet by Friday afternoon.
>> On west-facing shores, surf is expected to build to 15 to 25 feet by Friday afternoon.
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The warning does not cover Hawaii island, where the swell is expected to peak Friday night into Saturday.
Ocean water can surge and sweep across beaches, forecasters warned, impacting coastal properties and roadways.
“Powerful longshore and rip currents will be present at most beaches,” said NWS in the warning. “Large breaking waves and strong currents may impact harbor entrances and channels causing challenging boat handling.”
The public should stay away from the shoreline along affected coasts, and postpone entering or leaving channels until the surf subsides.
