Tsunami Clarification

Tsunami warnings and advisories have been issued throughout the Pacific region following a magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile early Saturday morning.

To put this in perspective let us take a moment and explain the difference between the warning levels.

A tsunami advisory, which has been issued for the West Coast, is the lowest level warning and basically means "heads up" as something might be coming to the coast, and if it does it is highly likely to be no more than a small increase, perhaps a few inches, in the waves.

A tsunami warning, which has been issued for Hawaii, means a tsunami is expected and preparations and evacuations along the coast should be taking place with great urgency.

Speaking with CNN Pacific Tsunami Warning Center geophysicist Barry Hirshon says some areas of Hawaii could "possibly" expect waves between 10-15 feet.

In Southern California what we could expect is likely a repeat that followed last year's American Samoa earthquake that produced a tsunami throughout the Pacific, which generated six-inch waves in Huntington Beach.

UPDATE 4:47 a.m.: From Hawaii, tsunami warning sirens will be activated at 6:00 a.m. local time, about five hours before the first tsunami wave is expected, along Waikiki and Oahu where thousands are expected to be evacuated.

In 1960 61 people were killed and over 500 homes and businesses in Hawaii were destroyed following the 1960 magnitude 9.5 Chile earthquake, which is the largest earthquake in recorded history.