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2015 January 22 REC'D CTY - Wave damage is seen at Hapuna Beach on Thursday
A reinforcement swell is expected to keep surf on north and west shores at dangerous levels through Saturday. Elevated surf is also expected to continue at advisory levels on south shores of Oahu and west shores of Lanai and the Big Island.
The reinforcement swell is forecast to arrive Friday night, keeping a high surf warning up for north and west shores of Oahu, Kauai County and Molokai, north shores of Maui and west shores of the Big Island in effect until 6 p.m. Saturday.
Wave faces are expected to be at 20 to 25 feet Friday, rising to 20 to 30 feet Friday night and Saturday on north and west shores of Kauai County and north shores of Oahu and Molokai. West shores should see 10- to 15-foot surf, rising to 12 to 18 feet Friday night and Saturday.
The unusual winter swell that created problems on the Big Island’s west coast and Oahu’s south shore Thursday will also continue.
Waves of 10 to 15 feet are forecast for the Big Island through Saturday.
Surf along west shores of Maui is forecast to be 8 to 12 feet Friday, rising to 12 to 15 feet Friday night and Saturday.
South shores of Oahu and west shores of Lanai and Kahoolawe will see 6- to 9-foot surf, rising to 7 to 10 feet Friday night and Saturday.
Surf of 12 to 15 feet in Waikiki Thursday resulted in 84 rescues and 378 warnings and other preventative actions, lifeguards reported. There were also 22 rescues on the Leeward Coast, where surf reached 20 to 30 feet at Makaha. Lifeguards rescued six people at Sandy Beach, where 6-foot waves were reported.
There were five rescues Thursday on the North Shore and 695 preventative actions.
Officials closed the Waianae side of Kaena Point State Park, where high surf pushed water on Farrington Highway.
Damage was reported on the Big island, where large surf damaged a lifeguard tower on the north side of Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area and a waterline, cutting water to the bathrooms, a Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman said.
The surf dumped mud and rocks in the parking lot at the north boat harbor in Kawai-hae on the west side of Hawaii island. A waterline at the boat harbor was also damaged by surf, knocking out water to the bathrooms, which had mud covering the floors.
Surf also tore out planks from a pier at the boat harbor and may have caused that pier some structural damage,
Hawaii County Civil Defense said several west-side beaches remain closed including, Laaloa or Magic Sands in Kona, Kahaluu Beach, Kohanaiki Beach, Ooma, Old Airport Park, OTEC, the Four Seasons, Hapuna Beach, Kaunaoa (Mauna Kea Beach), Mahukona Park and Kapaa.
