This Hawaii County Civil Defense message is no longer in effect

UPDATE:The National Weather Service has cancelled the High Surf Warning for Kona and Kohala, although a High Surf Advisory remains in effect for those same areas on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The High Surf Advisory is in effect untill Thursday at 6 p.m.

The NWS says that waves along north facing shores will remain at 6 to 10 feet tonight, and decrease to 4 to 8 feet on Thursday.

EARLIER REPORT: The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency issued the following alert on the high surf on the west side of the Big Island today:

This is a Civil Defense message.

This is a High Surf update for Wednesday, January 5th

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf warning for West facing shores of the Big Island beginning today through Thursday evening January 6th. Affected districts include Kona and Kohala. Surf heights are forecasted to build through the day to heights of 8 to 12 feet.

Due to the high surf warning, oceanfront residents and beach goers should be on the alert for rising surf conditions.

A portion of the message from the National Weather Service, issued at 3:36 a.m.:

KONA-KOHALA-
336 AM HST WED JAN 5 2011
…HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY…
A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY.

* SURF…SURF ALONG WEST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL BUILD TO HEIGHTS OF 8 TO 12 FEET TODAY…AND REMAIN THROUGH THURSDAY.

* IMPACTS…INEXPERIENCED SWIMMERS SHOULD AVOID ENTERING THE WATER. THE SWELL WILL PRODUCE STRONG RIP CURRENTS WHICH CAN OVERPOWER EVEN STRONG SWIMMERS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A HIGH SURF WARNING INDICATES THAT DANGEROUS…BATTERING WAVES WILL POUND THE SHORELINE. THIS WILL RESULT IN VERY DANGEROUS
SWIMMING CONDITIONS…AND DEADLY RIP CURRENTS.