Swell pattern looks solid. Photo: Storm Chasers//Screenshot
After a subpar summer and fall in regards to actual waves, West Coast surfers are about to get rewarded for their patience. A series of massive, overlapping swells are poised to slam the Left Coast this weekend and continue through the holidays – an early Christmas gift for surfers.
The same storm systems that you will see pounding Hawaii over the next few days, resulting in a yellow alert for The Eddie this weekend, will keep on tracking east across the North Pacific and provide what should be the biggest swells of the winter thus far. Northern California will see the first XL swell arrive on Sunday the 22nd before another even bigger swell with seas over 55 feet reinforces that energy on Monday the 23rd.
If the winds cooperate we are likely looking at a few epic days at the big wave spots. (There’s a bit of suspicious south wind in the forecast that could throw a wrench into the plans). Current models for Maverick’s are calling for the first swell to peak at 15.5 feet at 16 seconds and the second even bigger at 16.2 feet at 19 seconds. Both will be coming from a nearly straight westerly direction.
To the north, things will be big as well, with Surfline calling for 25-30 feet in parts of Northern Oregon by Monday.
A bit further south, Santa Cruz’s point breaks should be pumping with the healthy swell – 10 to 15 feet on Sunday and 15 to 18 on Monday at Steamer Lane.
The storm track, which will dip a bit further south than what we’ve seen thus far this year, will also bode well for the Southern California swell window. Sunday is calling for 8-12 feet at Rincon as the westerly angle will allow it to slide between the Channel Islands and Point Conception.
Blacks Beach in San Diego will get a healthy dose of surf in the double overhead range, too.These swells mirror the pattern of 2023, which saw massive waves and storms hit California at the end of the year.
These upcoming storms will likely drift to the north as they approach North America compared to the more direct westerly track that was experienced in 2023. As a result, the angle will slightly reduce the potential impact – particularly for Southern California. That said, the forecast still looks massive and there will be a healthy dose of solid surf for everyone beyond Christmas to the new year. Make sure your step-ups are in good working order and prepare to get surfed out.
