(BIVN) – The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a High Surf Advisory for all south-facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands. 

“A long period south (190 degrees) swell will build to advisory levels Thursday, peaking near warning levels,” stated the NWS. “This swell is expect to hold through Friday, and then gradually decline through the weekend.” 

Surf will build to 10 to 14 feet by Thursday afternoon, forecasters say. Strong breaking waves and powerful currents will make swimming dangerous. 

More information from this morning’s NWS forecast discussion:

Long period forerunners from the south swell event have already begun to show up at our local nearshore buoys. This swell will continue to build in across the islands through this afternoon, peak late today through Friday, then slowly lower thereafter. This first south swell event will be followed by another long period south swell early next week. As a result, a High Surf Advisory remains in effect for the south facing shores of all islands through today, but the advisory may need to be extended in time or upgraded to a warning depending on buoy observations towards the peak of the event.