High Surf in Hawaii, January 1 to 6, 2012

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1211 PM HST SUN JAN 1 2012

.UPDATE...
INCREASED AFTERNOON CLOUDS AND SHOWERS OVER WINDWARD OAHU INTO THE
AFTERNOON.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
WINDS WILL STEADILY DECLINE TODAY AS A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE MOVES
CLOSER TO THE ISLANDS. LIGHT SYNOPTIC WINDS WILL ALLOW WIDESPREAD
AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES TO DEVELOP MONDAY AND TUESDAY. CLOUDS AND
LIGHT SHOWERS WILL AFFECT MAINLY WINDWARD AND MAUKA AREAS WITH
CENTRAL AREAS OF THE SMALLER ISLANDS SEEING SOME AFTERNOON CLOUDS
AND LIGHT SHOWERS AS WELL. MODERATE TRADE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
RETURN WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES NORTH OF THE ISLANDS.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 1000 AM HST SUN JAN 1 2012/

TRADE WINDS HAVE ALL BUT DISAPPEARED OVER KAUAI WHILE TRADES ARE
STILL BLOWING SCATTERED SHOWERS INTO WINDWARD AREAS OF THE REST OF
THE STATE. A DISSIPATING FRONT SITS 100 MILES NORTH OF KAUAI WITH A
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE JUST NORTH OF THE FRONT ABOUT TO TAKE THE
FRONT/S PLACE. THE RIDGE WILL SETTLE OVER KAUAI AND OAHU ON MONDAY
BRINGING LIGHT SYNOPTIC WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS...ALLOWING FOR
NIGHTTIME LAND BREEZES AND AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES. THESE DIURNAL
WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. TUESDAY NIGHT...THE EFFECTS OF
A HIGH PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC REACH THE STATE AND
MODERATE TRADE WINDS WILL BE THE RESULT. THE HIGH CONTINUES ITS
MOVEMENT EASTWARD LATER IN THE WEEK BUT MAINTAINS A SURFACE RIDGE
NORTH OF THE STATE. THE RIDGE WILL CONTINUE MODERATE TRADE WINDS
INTO NEXT WEEKEND.

RAINFALL WILL DIMINISH AS THE RIDGE SETS IN OVER THE STATE TONIGHT
WITH SHOWERS RELEGATED TO LIGHT WINDWARD SHOWERS AND LIGHT RAINFALL
IN THE AFTERNOONS OVER MOUNTAINS AND CENTRAL AREAS OF THE SMALLER
ISLANDS. ON THE BIG ISLAND...THE LOWER LEEWARD SLOPES WILL ALSO SEE
LIMITED AFTERNOON SHOWERS. AS THE TRADES PICK UP AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT
AND WEDNESDAY...TRADE SHOWERS WILL ALSO RETURN WITH SOME ENHANCED
MOISTURE RIDING THE TRADES INTO WINDWARD AREAS.

&&

.AVIATION...
PREVAILING CONDITION IS VFR...HOWEVER THERE WILL BE SOME BRIEF MVFR
CEILINGS AND VIS ASSOCIATED WITH CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. THESE CLOUDS
AND SHOWERS ARE MAINLY FOUND ACROSS THE WINDWARD AND MOUNTAIN AREAS
OF ALL THE ISLANDS...BUT ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER ISLANDS. THESE
CLOUDS AND SHOWERS ARE MOVING FROM EAST TO WEST WITH A SLIGHT SOUTH
COMPONENT ON OAHU.

AS THE DAYTIME HEATING PICKS UP...WE MAY HAVE BRIEF MVFR CEILINGS
OVER INTERIOR AND LEEWARD SECTIONS OF ALL THE ISLANDS THIS AFTERNOON.

&&

.MARINE...
A NEW NORTH NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BUILD LATER TODAY. BUOY
51101 LOCATED NORTHWEST OF KAUAI IS SHOWING THE SWELL AT 10 FT AS
OF 9 AM THIS MORNING. SURF HEIGHTS WILL INCREASE TO THE HIGH SURF
ADVISORY THRESHOLD ALONG NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF
KAUAI...NIIHAU AND OAHU...AND NORTH FACING SHORES OF MOLOKAI AND
MAUI. THE WINDWARD SIDE OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL ALSO SEE RISING SURF
TONIGHT. THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY BEGINS AT NOON HST TODAY...AND
CONTINUES THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON.

THIS SWELL WILL ALSO PRODUCE SEAS NEAR 10 FT FOR THE WATERS AROUND
KAUAI THIS AFTERNOON...AND FOR THE REMAINING WATERS THIS
EVENING...NECESSITATING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY

ANOTHER LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL IS EXPECTED TUESDAY...BRINGING WARNING
LEVEL SURF TO THE NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF MOST ISLANDS
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST MONDAY FOR NIIHAU-KAUAI
WINDWARD-KAUAI LEEWARD-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE-OAHU
KOOLAU-MOLOKAI-MAUI WINDWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-WINDWARD
HALEAKALA.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM HST MONDAY
FOR KAUAI CHANNEL-OAHU WINDWARD WATERS-OAHU LEEWARD WATERS-KAIWI
CHANNEL-MAUI COUNTY WINDWARD WATERS-MAUI COUNTY LEEWARD WATERS-
ALENUIHAHA CHANNEL-BIG ISLAND WINDWARD WATERS-BIG ISLAND LEEWARD
WATERS-BIG ISLAND SOUTHEAST WATERS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY FOR KAUAI NORTHWEST
WATERS-KAUAI WINDWARD WATERS-KAUAI LEEWARD WATERS.

&&

DISCUSSION...MORRISON
AVIATION...HLAU