Hundreds of thousands of people in Hawaii are facing dangerous swimming conditions on Tuesday as large waves pummel the shores of popular beaches.
Why It Matters
Hawaii’s south-facing beaches saw powerful waves and hazardous ocean conditions this week, prompting warnings for hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a high surf advisory due to a significant south swell, urging the public to heed safety precautions.
This advisory followed a series of extraordinary weather and seismic events across the Pacific, including recent tsunami warnings stemming from a massive earthquake in Russia. While the NWS emphasized the current surf warning was separate from those events, officials underscored the ongoing risk to swimmers, boaters and anyone near the shoreline.
What To Know
The NWS Honolulu office issued a high surf advisory for all south-facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands, reporting that surf heights could reach from 7 to 10 feet. According to the NWS advisory released at 3:25 a.m. HST on Tuesday, surf conditions were expected to remain hazardous until at least 6 p.m. HST that evening.
The affected areas included all major islands, with specific warnings for regions such as Niihau, Kauai Southwest, Waianae Coast, Maui Leeward West and the Big Island South, among others.
The advisory attributed the high surf to a moderate-size, long-period south swell that peaked Monday night, with another swell forecast to arrive later in the week.
The NWS alert cautioned that strong breaking waves and strong currents would make swimming dangerous throughout the advisory period. Residents and visitors were urged to follow the advice of ocean safety officials and to avoid entering the water if uncertain about conditions.
A similar advisory was issued last week, with waves reaching up to 14 feet. Those waves were caused by a long-period south swell that originated south of New Zealand. At the time, NWS meteorologist Laura Farris told Newsweek the high surf is a typical summer pattern.
Summer is peak high surf season for Hawaii’s south-facing shores. The average surf for this time of year is around 6 feet.
What People Are Saying
NWS meteorologist Derek Wroe told Newsweek: “It’s coming from a distant swell from east of New Zealand. That’s our typical source area for surf in the summertime, so it travels quite a long time to get here.”
NWS Honolulu in a high surf advisory: “Strong breaking waves and strong currents will make swimming dangerous. Heed all advice from ocean safety officials. When in doubt, don’t go out.”
What Happens Next
The high surf advisory for Hawaii’s south-facing shores remained in effect until 6 p.m. HST Tuesday, but NWS officials will monitor the conditions closely, as another south swell was forecast to arrive late Wednesday or early Thursday. This new swell could bring advisory-level waves back to the region.
Residents and visitors were urged to remain vigilant, stay updated through official NWS notifications and prioritize safety, as conditions could change.
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