The National Weather Service has issued a warning for beachgoers in the Hawaiian Islands. Huge waves and strong winds are expected on the North Shore today, as well as around many other parts of the Hawaiian Island chain.
A high surf warning covering Kauai to Maui is in effect until Thursday 6 p.m. with wave heights from 18 to 22 feet expected today, climbing to 25 to 35 feet overnight with the swell peaking Wednesday and diminishing into Thursday. This according to forecasters. The warning covers north and west shores of Niihau and Kauai, and northern shores of Oahu, Molokai and Maui. Wave heights on western shores of Oahu and Molokai are forecast to rise to 18 to 22 feet tonight.
A high surf advisory for west shores of Hawaii Island has also been issued with waves from 6 to 10 feet expected tonight through Thursday, according to the weather service.
The public is warned that the high surf could cause localized flooding around high tide early Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and that road closings are possible.
In addition to the high surf, forecasters said a cold front will move rapidly southeast across the islands today and tonight. The front is expected to bring showers to Kauai this morning and move down the island chain to Hawaii Island by Wednesday morning.
The front will be pushed out by brisk north winds, forecasters said, with trade winds returning on Thursday and continuing into next week.
Strong winds are also expected on Hawaii summits today and Wednesday.
A high wind warning for the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea calls for gusts up to 75 mph through tonight, posing hazardous conditions for drivers and hikers, forecasters said. The warning is in effect until Wednesday at 6 a.m. Also, a high wind advisory with gusts up to 50 mph is in effect above 6,000-foot elevation level of Haleakala National Park through early Wednesday.
And the weather service has issued a gale warning for waters from 40 to 240 nautical miles from Hawaii, and a small craft advisory within 40 nautical miles through Wednesday afternoon.
Get your boats in and tied down f you don’t want any trouble. If you plan on braving the waters around the islands, make sure you know what you are doing, as conditions are pretty rough out and are expected to stay that way through Thursday.
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