Hurricane Jova slowed to a tropical storm yesterday and missed Hawai'i by 350 miles as it continued on its northwest course, but was expected to generate high surf and scattered showers here this weekend.

The National Weather Service yesterday issued a high surf advisory for the east-facing shores of all islands through tomorrow. The east swell may bring surf of 6 to 8 feet.

Winds are forecast to be 10 mph from the northeast.

Jova weakened yesterday more rapidly than predicted 24 hours earlier. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center on Wednesday projected it would have sustained winds of 103 mph yesterday and not weaken to a tropical storm until tomorrow.

But by 5 p.m. yesterday, its winds had dropped to 69 mph as it was being broken up by a southwesterly wind shear, the center said. By 2 p.m. today winds are expected to be 46 mph, and Jova is projected to be downgraded to a tropical depression by Sunday, if not sooner.

News coverage of Jova and other Pacific storms, as well as of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast, prompted many Hawai'i residents to stock up this week on bottled water and other emergency supplies.