Strong Trades This Weekend, But Spring South Swells This Week - Hawaii

Originally posted on SURFER | Last updated 5/4/24

East: Consolidating high pressure far N of the islands will support strong E trade winds into Monday, with island terrain accelerating winds to near-gale force in the windier channels. The high will move E thereafter, leading to a gradual easing in trade wind speeds by the middle of next week. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) for all waters will remain posted through at least Sunday. A disturbance aloft will allow for the development of a few heavier showers the next couple of days, producing periods of gusty winds and reduced visibility.

Combined seas increased to near 10 feet at several of the near- shore PacIOOS buoys overnight, mostly due to an increase in short-period wind waves. These wind waves arriving along E facing shores will result in rough and choppy surf for at least the next several days.

North: Also, a new medium-to long-period NNW swell will peak near 4 feet today. This swell will gradually diminish Sunday, but another relatively small, moderate-period NW swell is expected Monday and Tuesday.

South: The storm track in the S hemisphere recently became favorable for the generation of Hawaii-bound S swell, with pulses of swell arriving on-and-off for at least the next week. The first of these long-period S swells is expected to arrive later this weekend and early next week, with peak surf heights remaining below High Surf Advisory (HSA) heights, although later swells may be large enough to warrant a HSA. NOAA

Storms off NZ will be sending some South Swell to the islands

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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