Jaws Gets Yellow Alert: “The West Bowl Should Offer Some Crazy Barrels!”

Not two months into the Big Wave Tour’s 2018/19 season and the WSL is ready to run the second of three total events. 

Nazaré, to the surprise of many, was a treat to watch and provided one of the greatest big wave paddle tubes in the history of our sport, thanks to a cheery Spanish boy with a zebra-striped stick. 

Less than two weeks later, with a solid NW swell throwing shade across the Pacific, the WSL has found itself in the position to run yet another BWT event. This time, Jaws.

Here’s what the WSL had to say: 

The Big Wave Tour is placing the Jaws Challenge on Yellow Alert with a projected swell headed towards the region.

Fresh off the heels of the Internet-breaking storm system in Europe where South African Grant “Twiggy” Baker took out the Nazare Challenge, the world’s best big wave surfers eye a second event for the 2018/2019 WSL Big Wave season with the Jaws Challenge at Pe’ahi, Hawaii on Maui’s North Shore. Waves expected in excess of 35 feet (10 meters). Event expected to start on Monday, November 26 and/or Tuesday, November 27.

“We are coming off of a great event at Nazaré and have a promising swell heading toward Pe’ahi for the Jaws Challenge,” said Mike Parsons, WSL Big Wave Tour Commissioner. “We have issued a Yellow Alert for a potential run on Monday, November 26 or Tuesday, November 27. The waves are forecast in the 30-to-45-foot face range, so we will continue to monitor and hopefully issue a Green Alert tomorrow.”

The Big Wave team constantly monitors swell-producing storms that have the potential to produce waves over 30 feet. They issue a ‘Yellow Alert’ when a large swell, paired with favorable weather conditions, is forecasted to hit one of our Big Wave Tour locations. Once the Yellow Alert is issued, the WSL Big Wave team continues to carefully track the swells and conditions with the aim of issuing a ‘Green Alert’ 48 hours ahead of the event start.

Who’s not hoping for more of this? Photo: WSL 

And if that didn’t tighten your spleen, have a look at this not to subtle claim from Surfline:

Confidence is high that the largest swell of the season- to date- will build into the Hawaiian Islands on Monday, thanks to a developing storm in the northwest Pacific. This storm is expected to produce near hurricane force wind and seas in excess of 40 feet around 1500-2000 miles from Hawaii. The resulting long period NW swell will build all day on Monday and peak in the afternoon and evening hours with 30-50′ faces. Moderate to breezy E trades will make conditions challenging Monday afternoon, but there should be some epic waves and the west bowl should offer some crazy barrels thanks to the swell direction. Tuesday is expected to trend down and be more user friendly, but still be solid, with 25-40′ faces in the morning and lighter E trades.