Photo: Nazare Big Wave Challenge
The WSL has issued a Yellow Alert for the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge. The Wednesday announcement stated that contest officials will be tracking a swell set to peak overnight on Friday, December 12, with a possible green light for the event on Saturday, December 13. According to Surfline, the current forecast has this swell gearing up to be the largest to hit Nazaré this season (so far), with waves in the 40′-60′ range during the possible Saturday event window.
“Based on the current forecast charts it looks like the main push of NW energy will peak from roughly 6 p.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Saturday before slowly settling through the afternoon on Saturday,” Surfline’s Kevin Wallis said Tuesday. “Given the storm set up, all signs point to this being the largest swell of the year – thus far – and one of the more impressive swells I’ve seen in the last couple years for Nazare. Beyond pure size it sure looks to be a consistent swell with lots of waves in the sets too.”
The first glimpses of XL-size surf are expected to arrive early Friday, at which point the WSL says they plan to make the call for Saturday. Another swell will be on its heels as the day goes on, according to Wallis, with waves “comfortably be in the 50-70-foot range on the face” and reaching as tall as 75 feet. That pulse is expected to come overnight Friday, however, meaning the largest waves of the upcoming swell will probably go unridden. There will still be plenty of size left for Saturday though, as well as favorable winds if the forecast holds true.
All competitors will now be on the usual 72-hour call. Last season’s event ran in February of this year and waves were notably smaller than what’s forecasted for the current incoming swell.
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