With the largest swell of the season expected to peak late Monday for Oahu’s north and west shores, “The Eddie” could be a go.
At noon on Friday, Liam McNamara, contest director of the 34th annual Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, issued a yellow alert, meaning that the surf contest could potentially happen Monday at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore.
McNamara will make a call for a green or red light within the next 48 hours, with an update expected at noon today.
The holding period for “The Eddie” began Dec. 1 and lasts through Feb. 29. The contest will run if surf heights consistently reach 20 feet. The event has been held only nine times since its inception in the mid-’80s.
The last one was held in February 2016.
This year the Eddie Aikau Foundation invited 32 surfers and 18 alternates, including nine women, the most ever invited to participate. An opening ceremony to kick off the waiting period was held Dec. 5.
Weather forecasters, meanwhile, expect surf to build to 5 to 8 feet today for north-facing shores on Oahu, and 3 to 6 feet for surf along east and west shores. Surf along south shores is expected to be at 3 to 5 feet today.
The National Weather Service said an extra-large west-northwest swell is expected Monday, peaking well above warning levels late Monday into Tuesday for north- and west-facing shores.
Officials said in their surf forecast that “this swell will likely be the largest swell of the season thus far.” Surf should steadily decrease late Tuesday into Wednesday but could remain at advisory levels through Thursday.
Weather officials also continued to warn of periods of coastal flooding along all Hawaii shores due to unusually high water levels, with the highest potential during high tide early in the morning.
“The higher than normal astronomical tides peaked during the past two nights and will gradually lower over the next several days,” said NWS in a special weather statement. “Impacts of the higher than normal water levels may include flooding of beaches that normally remain dry, salt water inundation of typically vulnerable low-lying roads, docks, boat ramps, and other coastal infrastructure.”
A small-craft advisory for Kauai’s northwest, windward and leeward waters, along with the Kauai Channel and Oahu’s windward waters, remains in effect through 6 a.m. Saturday.
Another record high of 90 degrees, meanwhile, matched a previous record set Dec. 24, 1992, in Kahului.
Despite cooler temperatures in December, weather officials logged 11 record highs and matches in Lihue and Kahului. Four records and four matches have been set in Kahului so far this month, while one record and two matches have been set in Lihue.
