50-foot waves forecast to slam Hawaii as 'The Eddie' surfing competition braces for 'biggest swells ever'
Dangerous surf conditions with waves reaching dozens of feet high are forecast across Hawaii's northern beaches just as winter-weary travelers may be searching out sun and warm beach weather for the Christmas week break.
A parade of storm-force to even hurricane-force windstorms is rolling across the Pacific Ocean over the next several days. And while their storm tracks are safely around 1,300 miles north of Hawaii and sparing the islands any direct storm impacts, their deep low-pressure centers and ferocious winds are generating massive waves that fan out across the ocean basin.
GOES-18 satellite image showing a strong Pacific storm system 1,300 miles north of Hawaii on Dec. 21, 2024. (CIRA / RAAM-B)
The National Weather Service said satellite data is estimating seas as high as 65 feet near the storm centers, with a nearby buoy measuring 60-foot waves.
Forecast models indicate this fetch of waves is spreading south and will reach the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Maui on Sunday. Seas are expected to swell to 40-50 feet, prompting a High Surf Warning until Monday morning.
Even the west-facing shores of those islands will likely see surf reach 25-35 feet. Seas along the Big Island are expected around 8-12 feet.
Wave height forecast in the Pacific Ocean.(FOX Weather)
'The Eddie' surfing competition given green light for Sunday
The forecast for these massive waves in Hawaii prompted the organizers of The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, which KHON2 reports is the premier surfing event in the world, to schedule the event for Sunday.
According to KHON2, "The Eddie" competition requires consistent 40-foot or higher surf, which needs to arrive by 8 a.m. local time. If Sunday's event goes on as planned, it'll be only the 11th time it has happened since 1984.
"We are anticipating one of the biggest swells ever," contest director Liam McNamara said Saturday in a Facebook post. The surfing competition is held at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu.
FILE – U.S. surfer Eli Olsen rides a wave as Hawaiian surfer Jake Maki gets wiped out during The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surfing contest on Jan. 22, 2023, at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. (Brian Bielmann / AFP / Getty Ima
Waves to peak in Hawaii on Sunday
"The prolonged duration of this active period will lead to coastal impacts, including significant beach erosion along exposed shorelines and potential overwash onto vulnerable coastal roadways and properties, especially during Sunday’s peak," the National Weather Service warned.
The NWS also said to expect ocean water to surge and sweep across beaches, coastal benches and lava flows, creating the potential for impacts to coastal properties and infrastructure, including roadways. Powerful longshore and rip currents will be present at most beaches, making for dangerous swimming conditions.
The surf is expected to decrease on Monday and return to just "advisory" levels on Christmas Eve. But the storm pattern will remain quite active in the Pacific through the week.
Wave height forecast for the Hawaiian Islands. (FOX Weather)