Published: December 12, 2013

December 12, 2013 Views: 6,584







COMING IN HOT Surfline forecaster Kevin Wallis break down Saturday's monster Pipe swell..





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Related Stacked. Black Friday's swell (pictured) shares many similarities to Saturday's upcoming swell. Except there's a world title on the line, and 12 surfers left in the Billabong Pipeline Masters. Photo: Shane Grace

Impressive satellite imagery of the current storm on Thursday morning, Hawaiian standard time.

John John Florence (pictured here on one of his many Black Friday waves) will go up against either Nat Young or Julian Wilson in the quarters. Photo: Ryan Craig

Sea surface pressure chart for the North Pacific for December 12th.

Sea surface pressure chart for November 27th. Note the similarities in size, strength and location between the Black Friday storm and the current storm.

There's 12 surfers left in the contest. A handful spent time in the water on Black Friday. Here's video highlights of Nat, Yadin, John John and CJ. Photo: Shane Grace

Surfline's North Shore Nearshore Model shows the very solid surf for Saturday.

Surfline's High Res Wind Model for the North Shore displays the excellent local conditions we expect for Saturday, with SE/ESE wind.



WEEK 5, DAY 3





To put things in context: "The last time the Pipe Masters final was held at proper Pipeline was 2000, when Rob Machado won," Vans Triple Crown executive director Randy Rarick said. "Ever since then, everyone's won at Backdoor. I'm stoked to see it go down in lefts."



Surfline's Kevin Wallis has been monitoring this swell. Here is his breakdown:



In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, we were tracking a strong, developing storm that was nearly stationary 1500 miles northwest of Hawaii. The storm ended up producing the solid 'Black Friday' swell on the North Shore that was met with epic local conditions with light southeast wind. (



Over the past couple days we've been tracking an intense storm that is now tracking slowly to the northeast and is currently centered 1200-1500 miles northwest of Hawaii.



With two very similar storms will come two very similar swells. Both storms packed a serious punch with 40-50 knots of wind over a modest size fetch and both produced seas in excess of 35 feet in close proximity to the islands. To put things in context: "The last time the Pipe Masters final was held at proper Pipeline was 2000, when Rob Machado won," Vans Triple Crown executive director Randy Rarick said. "Ever since then, everyone's won at Backdoor. I'm stoked to see it go down in lefts."Surfline'shas been monitoring this swell. Here is his breakdown:In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, we were tracking a strong, developing storm that was nearly stationary 1500 miles northwest of Hawaii. The storm ended up producing the solid 'Black Friday' swell on the North Shore that was met with epic local conditions with light southeast wind. ( Full story .)Over the past couple days we've been tracking an intense storm that is now tracking slowly to the northeast and is currently centered 1200-1500 miles northwest of Hawaii.With two very similar storms will come two very similar swells. Both storms packed a serious punch with 40-50 knots of wind over a modest size fetch and both produced seas in excess of 35 feet in close proximity to the islands.

For Saturday morning we'll see wild and wooly conditions at Pipe, with plenty of second reef roll-ins and even wash-through sets from Third Reef. --Surfline forecaster Kevin Wallis



The similarities don't stop at size either, as local wind conditions are also expected to be excellent for Saturday's swell. A front will stall to the northwest of Kauai on Friday, setting up ideal winds from the ESE/SE on Friday and Saturday.



For Saturday morning we'll see wild and wooly conditions at Pipe, with plenty of second reef roll-ins and even wash-through sets from Third Reef. As the swell gradually eases through the day, the surf will become a little more manageable, but still quite large throughout the afternoon. Which means we should be in for an epic final day at the Billabong Pipeline Masters.



One more thing: keep an eye on the The extra-large northwest swell now on our radar will build in rapidly Friday afternoon and evening for Oahu's North Shore and peak in the early morning hours of Saturday. All indications are that this swell will be just as strong as the Black Friday swell: similar deepwater swell height and swell period (10-12' at 16 seconds), with the upcoming swell just a hair more north in direction at 320 degrees versus the Black Friday swell at 310 degrees.The similarities don't stop at size either, as local wind conditions are also expected to be excellent for Saturday's swell. A front will stall to the northwest of Kauai on Friday, setting up ideal winds from the ESE/SE on Friday and Saturday.For Saturday morning we'll see wild and wooly conditions at Pipe, with plenty of second reef roll-ins and even wash-through sets from Third Reef. As the swell gradually eases through the day, the surf will become a little more manageable, but still quite large throughout the afternoon. Which means we should be in for an epic final day at the Billabong Pipeline Masters.One more thing: keep an eye on the Pipe Cam Friday late afternoon and evening Hawaii time to watch the new swell fill in with all the boys out. Also, check out the mechanics of Pipeline for more.

Dramatic endings. Everyone loves 'em. And it doesn't get much more intense than Kelly versus Mick heading into the final day of the final event of the year. But layered on top of the human drama of this year's heated title race - of which there's no shortage -- is the Pacific Ocean.Which is very alive. And about to offer up a serious shot of NW swell for Saturday's Pipe Masters final. Real Pipeline, like back in the day when no one went right.