Posted on: Sunday, October 28, 2001

Forecasters revise high surf guidelines

Advertiser Staff

"Advisory" and "warning" are key words the National Weather Service hopes the public will come to associate with dangerous conditions caused by high surf.

Starting Tuesday the term "high surf advisory" will describe a condition dangerous to swimmers and beachgoers while "high surf warning" will apply to waves which are a threat to life and property.

The conditions for each will be determined by surf height, which will be measured from the front or face.

A high surf advisory involves waves 15 feet on north-facing shores, 12 feet on west-facing shores, and 8 feet on south- and east-facing shores and also Big Island west-facing shores. A high surf warning describes surf 25 feet on north-facing shores, 20 feet on west-facing shores, 15 feet on south- and east-facing shores and 12 feet on Big Island west shores.

"We've never had a problem getting the word out to the Civil Defense community and media to give a call for action," said Tom Heffner, National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist for the Honolulu Forecast Office. "But not everyone uses the entire text. We feel this is now an easier way to differentiate warning events from advisory events."

According to National Weather Service storm data, there have been 60 ocean drownings during high-surf periods in Hawai'i since 1980.

"Full-face surf measurements are critical to maintain a consistent standard for public safety," the National Weather Service said."Full-face surf reports, and the high surf advisories and high surf warnings upon which they are based, will help to clearly inform all residents and tourists of danger in the surf zone."