Saipan — The high surf advisory for Saipan, Tinian and Rota remains in effect until 4 p.m. Saturday, with large breaking waves of 7 to 10 feet and dangerous rip currents expected in the surf zone, Homeland Security and Emergency Management said Wednesday.
The surf advisory covers west and north facing reefs. The high rip current risk, which runs through Saturday afternoon, covers west, north and east facing reefs.
Forecasters warned of dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water, and the advisory said rip currents will be life threatening. Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water.
As Typhoon Dolphin passes Iwo To, the long period swell direction is expected to continue shifting to the northwest over the next day or so.
Governor David M. Apatang is reminding the public to stay out of the waters along north, west and east facing reefs. Anyone caught in a rip current should relax and float rather than swim against it, swim in a direction following the shoreline if able, and if unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.
A separate small craft advisory remains in effect until 6 a.m. Friday for Marianas coastal waters, with southwest to west winds of 15 to 25 knots and seas of 8 to 11 feet. A westerly monsoon surge continues, and seas are expected to drop about a foot after today and stay hazardous to small craft for several more days.
