Sets to 50 feet on outer reefs Monday....
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:48 pm
I was lucky enough to be there on Oahu for the the massive swell of Jan 28, 1998. Biggest Wed
But reading the reports this looks to be bigger then that swell.
December 4 is the 40 year anniversary of the largest surf episode of the last 50 years which occurred in 1969. Coincidentally, a similar pattern is brewing this year. Extreme episodes in February 1986 come to mind as well. For those and the present case, there were pairs of giant episodes a few days apart, with the latter larger. This is because the followup systems act upon existing seas and swell, increasing the wave growth potential. etc etc
The latest forecast report.......
SURF ZONE FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
330 PM HST SUN DEC 6 2009
OAHU-
330 PM HST SUN DEC 6 2009
HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH EAST AND WEST FACING SHORES
Surf along north facing shores will be 15 to 25 feet with 30 foot sets on outer reefs today. The surf will build to 30 to 40 feet with occasional sets to 50 feet on outer reefs Monday.
Surf along west facing shores will be 12 to 20 feet today, then build to 15 to 25 feet with occasional 30 feet Monday.
Surf along east facing shores will be 5 to 8 feet, and as high as 12 feet where exposed to the northwest swell today, then reach 10 to 18 feet along exposed shores Monday.
Surf along south facing shores will be 2 to 4 feet today then drop to 1 to 3 feet Monday.
Outlook through Saturday Dec 12: slowly dropping northwest swell is still keeping north facing shores in very large surf this afternoon. Another much larger northwest swell will arrive abruptly overnight pushing surf heights to extremely dangerous levels Monday. Surf will exceed warning levels well into the second half of the coming week. Adjacent west and east facing shores will see very large surf wrapping into the area as well this week. South shores will see fading southern hemisphere swell today into Monday. Some areas may experience inconsistent waves in unusual places this week due to the large northwest swell also wrapping into south shores.
Surf heights are forecast heights of the face or front of waves. The surf forecast is based on the significant wave height, the average height of the one third largest waves, in the zone of maximum refraction. Some waves may be more than twice as high as the significant wave height. Expect to encounter rip currents in or near any surf zone.
But reading the reports this looks to be bigger then that swell.
December 4 is the 40 year anniversary of the largest surf episode of the last 50 years which occurred in 1969. Coincidentally, a similar pattern is brewing this year. Extreme episodes in February 1986 come to mind as well. For those and the present case, there were pairs of giant episodes a few days apart, with the latter larger. This is because the followup systems act upon existing seas and swell, increasing the wave growth potential. etc etc
The latest forecast report.......
SURF ZONE FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
330 PM HST SUN DEC 6 2009
OAHU-
330 PM HST SUN DEC 6 2009
HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH EAST AND WEST FACING SHORES
Surf along north facing shores will be 15 to 25 feet with 30 foot sets on outer reefs today. The surf will build to 30 to 40 feet with occasional sets to 50 feet on outer reefs Monday.
Surf along west facing shores will be 12 to 20 feet today, then build to 15 to 25 feet with occasional 30 feet Monday.
Surf along east facing shores will be 5 to 8 feet, and as high as 12 feet where exposed to the northwest swell today, then reach 10 to 18 feet along exposed shores Monday.
Surf along south facing shores will be 2 to 4 feet today then drop to 1 to 3 feet Monday.
Outlook through Saturday Dec 12: slowly dropping northwest swell is still keeping north facing shores in very large surf this afternoon. Another much larger northwest swell will arrive abruptly overnight pushing surf heights to extremely dangerous levels Monday. Surf will exceed warning levels well into the second half of the coming week. Adjacent west and east facing shores will see very large surf wrapping into the area as well this week. South shores will see fading southern hemisphere swell today into Monday. Some areas may experience inconsistent waves in unusual places this week due to the large northwest swell also wrapping into south shores.
Surf heights are forecast heights of the face or front of waves. The surf forecast is based on the significant wave height, the average height of the one third largest waves, in the zone of maximum refraction. Some waves may be more than twice as high as the significant wave height. Expect to encounter rip currents in or near any surf zone.