Heavy Wave Activity Expected for Weekend Surfers

By Riley Yap

Hookipa. File photo by Madeline Ziecker.

Winter shores will soon begin to feel the ocean mist due to heavy-wave activity as the weekend gets underway with rising north swells that could offer double-overhead sets by Sunday at popular locations.

Moderate to near-advisory surf swells are expected to arrive on the north facing shores of Maui early Saturday morning rising throughout the evening, and peaking into Sunday as we dive head first into what should be an action-packed weekend full of clean breaks and warm-weather conditions.

Based on an averaging of surf reports, the first swell is expected to arrive Saturday morning and peaking on Sunday with anticipated wave heights of 6 to 9 feet. The energy from this northwest swell could provide much larger sets at better breaks around northern facing shores like Ho’okipa and Paia Bay. Surfers can expect Ho’okipa to be packed like a tub of fresh poke come Sunday with potential double-overhead surf, light winds, and mostly clear skies.

Looking a little further into the upcoming week, weather reports indicate another moderate northwest swell developing overnight Monday into Tuesday. University of Hawaii models predict this second swell to rise in wave height going into Tuesday and peaking at 8.5 feet Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 10.

South side hopefuls may just be in luck on Monday as the weekend comes to a close and south facing shores are met with a minor swell yielding waist to head-high waves of 1 to 3 feet. Expect the south-side breaks to be glowing with sunlight, very glassy, and clean. Don’t rush, however, as this moderate south swell should not be here long after Tuesday.

According to buoy observations today, north and northwest facing shores should offer surf in the 2- to 4-foot range with higher possible sets at better breaks especially in the afternoon and evening hours. Upper west facing shores should offer 1- to 2-footers, possibly rising later in the evening. East and northeast facing shores should stay around the 1 to 2 feet with the occasional 3-foot sets due to wind swells. South facing shores are flat to 1-foot with no anticipated swells.