MEDIA RELEASE

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
259 PM HST FRI OCT 16 2009

…LARGE SWELL EXPECTED FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES THIS WEEKEND…

.OVERVIEW….A LARGE SWELL GENERATED BY A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR NEW ZEALAND LAST WEEK WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES OVERNIGHT. THE SURF WILL BUILD TO ADVISORY LEVELS FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BEFORE SLOWLY DIMINISHING THEREAFTER.

NIIHAU-KAUAI WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU SOUTH SHORE- WAIANAE COAST-MOLOKAI LEEWARD-LANAI MAKAI-KAHOOLAWE- MAUI LEEWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD HALEAKALA- LEEWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-SOUTH BIG ISLAND-BIG ISLAND NORTH AND EAST-
259 PM HST FRI OCT 16 2009

…HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM SATURDAY TO 6 PM HST SUNDAY…

SURF ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES WILL BE 6 TO 8 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL LARGER SETS TO NEAR 10 FEET SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THE SURF WILL BEGIN TO GRADUALLY SUBSIDE SUNDAY EVENING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK…BUT REMAIN ELEVATED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT WAVES ALONG THE AFFECTED SHORES WILL BE HIGHER THAN NORMAL. BEACH GOERS ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER AND WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORE BREAK DUE TO HAZARDOUS WAVE ACTION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG RIP CURRENTS.