Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Waves for Wednesday – Small combo mix continues

Wednesday will be another surf day.

Again it won’t be big, or that great, but winds will be light through the morning and there is still a little combo swell out in the water that is sending in a few rideable shoulders at the better exposed beaches.

In the water tomorrow we are going to see a mix of overlapping SW swells (195-210) and some small, but building, local NW windswell.



The average breaks are going to see surf in the waist high range with some inconsistent chest high sets. The standout combo breaks through Orange County and San Diego will have some inconsistent chest-shoulder high sets on the tide push through the morning. I do expect a little more windswell through the afternoon but I think it will get lost in the increasing afternoon bump.

Winds are forecast to be light in the morning but a new coastal eddy is supposed to spin up as we move throughout the day. I would expect generally clean conditions through the dawn patrol and gradually increasing S-SW winds as we head toward midday.



There aren’t really any surprises for tomorrow...just the standard small swell mix that sort of workhorses us through the time in-between bigger swells. The combo beach breaks, with good sandbars, are going to be the best call...but it won’t be worth driving very far to find one. Smaller wave gear like longboards and fishy/round shapes will probably be the most fun but you might be able to get away with an all-round board if you are a lighter surfer or happen to surf one of the better sandbars out there.

Oh and there is some nasty red tide starting to creep into the HB area...hard to see your board at times. Nothing like sharky conditions (murky hard to see water) while it looks like you are floating in a pool of blood. Good times.

Here are the tides

01:06AM LDT 5.0 H
09:26AM LDT 0.0 L
05:09PM LDT 2.8 H
07:40PM LDT 2.7 L

Monday, March 30, 2009

Surf for Tuesday – Combo swell continues

Tuesday will be another surf day.

Again it won’t be great but the mix of WNW windswell, the SSW swell, and trace WNW swell have been doing a halfway decent job of throwing together some fun surf. I even paddled out on Monday, in what looked like a jumbled mess (thanks to the S winds) but ended up having some fun thanks to the lower tide and a little “heft” to the combo swell. If the winds had been a few knots lighter it would have been pretty fun...

So back to the forecast...on Tuesday the swell mix will continue but it will lose a little bit of size. We can expect the average exposed spots to continue to have consistent waist-chest high waves. Better exposed combo breaks in Orange County and San Diego will see some chest-shoulder high sets, particularly on the lower tides. I can even see the top breaks, mostly in San Diego, pull in a few bigger sets if they like the WNW windswell.

Overall winds look mostly clean...forecasts are calling for light/variable in the morning...and then sort of variable onshore for midmorning...eventually turning onshore W around 10-13 knots for the afternoon. It looks like there may be some patchy fog in some areas tomorrow...so look for a little more bump if the fog is hanging out at your spots. I think the winds are going to be a bit unstable like we saw on Monday...most areas will be clean but there may be some funky pockets at some of the more exposed areas.


Quit teasing us COAMPS!

With the combo nature of the swell you should be able to find plenty of playful spots at the beach breaks. Points and reefs could be fun too but they may be a little too mixed up to string together many long sections. Personally I am planning on sticking close to homebase, finding a little sandbar, and getting out in the water sometime around midmorning...hopefully the wind will cooperate. Oh and the water is still pretty cold...I haven’t broken out the booties this year but I was considering it today...spring winds suck.

Here are the tides

12:07AM LDT 5.3 H
07:59AM LDT -0.1 L (nice to have a low tide in the AM)
02:48PM LDT 2.7 H
06:13PM LDT 2.3 L

Random surf report - Orange County Eddy

For the most part the eddy winds backed down this morning but it hasn’t cleaned up everywhere. The S- to SSE wind seems particularly stubborn through Orange County, north Orange County most of all. The region isn’t totally blown out but it isn’t very clean.

Check out the wind analysis from this morning.



Santa Barbara down through the South Bay are pretty clean with winds going slightly offshore. San Diego has some SE flow but the higher cliffs around most of the beaches is knocking down too much of that bump so it is still pretty clean too. About the only place to avoid is the open spots in OC…there are still a few south wind protected nuggets that you can enjoy but you will need to hunt around for them.

Have a good day!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Monday’s Surf – Playful and a bit cleaner

Monday is looking like a surf day…again it won’t be stellar but there is some surf in the water and the conditions will improve as the coastal eddy that tweaked us on Sunday blows itself out.

We are going to have a mix of SW swell (190-210), medium period WNW energy (290-300), and some local NW windswell.

Most spots are going to hold in the waist-chest high range while the standout SW facing spots and the good combo breaks, mostly through San Diego and Orange County, see some inconsistent shoulder high sets.

Weather looks a bit better…it will still be a little overcast and june-gloomy in the morning but the eddy winds won’t be nearly as strong. Current forecasts are calling for light and variable winds through the morning with some moderate 10-12 knot W-WNW winds for the afternoon. Overall there may be a touch of texture at some of the more exposed beaches but if you stick to spots that have a little more wind protection, high-cliffs or kelp or something, it will be fairly clean. Check out the COAMPS for the dawn patrol tomorrow.



I think that it will be worth getting a few waves in the morning…the low tide will have a few spots sort of drained out but the better sandbars should have some playful sections, particularly the combo beach breaks. I wouldn’t spend a ton of time driving around, just because the swell isn’t all that big or consistent…but it will be worth motivating if you are in a reasonable range.

Oh on a totally random note…I got roped into watching America’s Funniest Videos with my almost 4-year old. I don’t know about the rest of you but watching that show definitely makes my 'nads hurt in empathy. Anyways...I am off to do some skateboarding down the giant ramp I made out of cardboard into my pool filled with broken bottles and gravel. (It should end well)

Sunrise is about 6:20am or so.

Here are the tides…

06:48AM LDT -0.3 L
01:04PM LDT 3.0 H
05:35PM LDT 1.9 L

Friday, March 27, 2009

Waves for the Weekend – Small swell combo

It looks like we are going to have a couple of surf days this weekend…again it won’t be great but the conditions will be nice and there will be a few playful waves the water.

We are going to have a mix of SW swell (190-210) that moves in and peaks late Saturday and into Sunday and some local NW windswell. We are also going to see some new WNW swell (290-300+) that moves in on Sunday, peaks Sunday evening and holds into Monday. Even though this sounds like a lot of activity none of the swells are particularly big so wave heights will remain in small, slightly inconsistent, playful ranges.

On average we can expect waist-chest high range at spots with sort of moderate exposure to the swell mix. Summer spots will be more consistent Saturday/Sunday while the NW facing breaks will be a little bigger Sunday/Monday. The top breaks, mostly the excellent combo breaks, will have some chest to almost shoulder high sets on the lower tides.


The picture that never changes.

Winds and weather look like your typical spring patterns…a little cloudy with light/variable winds through the mornings with clearning skies and building NW winds (10-15 knots) pushing through the afternoon. Hopefully the winds will stay slow enough in the outer waters that we avoid getting much of an eddy over the next few days.

Like I said there will be some playful surf this weekend…it won’t be firing or anything…but if you have the time it will be worth it to carve out a little session in the morning before the tide comes up. I wouldn’t drive very far to get waves if you can help it…if you find a little peak close to home you should get on it. Smaller wave gear will continue to be the most fun.

Here are the tides…have a great weekend!

Saturday
05:04AM LDT -0.4 L
11:05AM LDT 3.8 H
04:37PM LDT 1.1 L
10:46PM LDT 5.6 H

Sunday
05:52AM LDT -0.4 L
11:57AM LDT 3.4 H
05:05PM LDT 1.5 L
11:22PM LDT 5.5 H

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Surf for Friday – Nice beach weather

Friday won’t be a great surf day...but we will have some rideable waves and the weather is supposed to be pretty nice. A few small waves and some sunny skies...sounds a lot better than working.

We are going to continue to see the mix of local WNW-NW windswell, some SW swell (190-210), and some background WNW energy. Check out the local CDIP models...still a few waves sneaking through in the better exposed areas.









The average spots see some knee-waist high waves with some waist-high+ sets. The standout breaks...the better combo spots and good NW facing breaks (that like windswell) will have some chest-chest high+ sets. Looks like the biggest sizes will continue to show in San Diego, parts of Southern Ventura, and a few of the top combo spots in the other regions. Santa Barbara and the Malibu areas look like they will have the weakest surf.

Winds look good tomorrow...mostly light and variable to light offshore for the morning. Then only weak onshore flow in the afternoon...probably W around 10 knots or so. It is supposed to be about 70 at the beach by the afternoon. I am going to start downloading viruses on my computer now so that it will break about 11am tomorrow.

Your best bet is going to be the top exposed combo spots...I would stick to the ones close to home since there really isn’t enough size to make it worth driving anywhere. The tide will still be a bit of a problem midmorning but there may be a little more of a surfable gap right at dawn. Again I would plan on using your smaller wave gear just so you can maximize the fun of the boggier/smaller surf.

Here are the tides

04:23AM LDT -0.2 L
10:21AM LDT 4.3 H
04:11PM LDT 0.7 L
10:15PM LDT 5.5 H

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Surf for Thursday – More windswell with a touch of eddy

Thursday looks like it will have some waves...but it may have a few wind problems as well.

We are going to see a continuing mix of WNW-NW windswell, small SSW swell, and some background medium period WNW energy.

Wave heights are going to be in the waist high range for most spots while the standout spots, mostly in San Diego, see some chest-shoulder high sets. Again most of the size is coming off the windswell so expect sort of soft burgery shape with the higher tides.

Winds will be the biggest question mark...the outer winds are supposed to increase and spin up an eddy close to the coast. Conditions in the morning are going to depend on where the eddy is positioned. The NWS charts are calling for it to be centered North of Catalina which would mean S winds for OC and SD...and sort of SE winds for LA/Ventura/Santa Barbara. The COAMPS is calling for it to be closer to the Mexico/US water-borderline, which would mean more SE-E flow for everyone except Santa Barbara. Check it out...



I think that we are going to have to play conditions a little by ear for tomorrow morning. Ideally I would wait for enough light to check the cams...or look at a live windmap like this one.

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=33.626&lon=-117.951&zoom=13

If you have to jet to the beach before the sun is up I would probably try and stick with spots that have protection from the S winds...you will have a better shot at getting clean conditions...and really most of those breaks are more exposed to the local windswell. Plan on your small-surf gear as well...hopefully something that will let you have fun with the higher tide that hits midmorning.

Here are the tides...

03:45AM LDT 0.1 L
09:41AM LDT 4.6 H
03:46PM LDT 0.4 L
09:48PM LDT 5.2 H

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Waves for Wednesday – windswell combo continues

Wednesday looks like a surf day…again the shape won’t be great but conditions will be good and the there will be some rideable swell in the water.

We are going to see a mix of WNW-NW windswell, some small SW energy (200-220), and a little bit of WNW energy (290-300). It will look a little like this…just smaller.



Average spots will be in the waist high range with some inconsistent chest high sets at the better exposed areas, particularly the more fun combo beaches. The top spots, mostly through San Diego, will have some chest-shoulder high sets, which will be primarily off the windswell…so even though it will have more size it will still be a little crossed up and a bit burgery, particularly on the higher morning tides.

Winds look good…mostly light and variable to light offshore for the morning…and then W 10-14 knots by the afternoon. Should be a little chilly for the dawn patrol but be a nice day after the sun gets out and warms things up a bit.

I would plan on bringing your boards that like windswell tomorrow…something that can overcome the higher morning tide and the semi-soft nature of fading windswell…probably a fishy shape…or something will a little girth (that’s what she said). Definitely going to see bigger sizes in SD just because it is exposed to the steeper windswell energy, but there may be a few bigger sets around Ventura and the South Bay at times…and even though those spots have size it won’t be worth burning some gas to get to them.

Here are the tides…

03:09AM LDT 0.5 L
09:03AM LDT 4.8 H
03:22PM LDT 0.1 L
09:24PM LDT 4.9 H

Monday, March 23, 2009

Surf for Tuesday – Fading but cleaner

Tuesday looks like a surf day...nothing great, but better weather and a little more organized than it has been the last couple of days.

We are going to see a mix of fading WNW-NW windswell, some small SW energy, and a tiny touch of longer-period WNW swell. Overall most of the surf is going to be the fading windswell...with some occasional sets from the SW crossing it up at the combo spots.

Average breaks are going to drop into the waist-chest high range. The standout spots in San Diego, Ventura, and parts of the South Bay, will have some shoulder high sets. The biggest waves will be more consistent in the morning and fade as the windswell drops into the afternoon.

Winds look decent too...light offshore to light and variable throughout the morning. It does pick up through the afternoon, eventually hitting NW 10-15 knots by later in the day. Here is a shot of the winds for the AM.



That cold front from Sunday pushed through pretty fast Sunday night...and there were some halfway decent winds and a few rideable waves Monday morning. I was stoked that we had some surf and yet a little pissed at the wind model (and myself) for not anticipating the cold airmass kicking down those winds...anyway I hope a few of you got some chilly brown peaks this morning. On Tuesday we can expect smaller surf overall...but there should still be some fun surf at the spots that like the short-period windswell, particularly if they can pull in a few lines from the SW. I would plan on riding something that can deal with the semi-mixed up/burgery nature of the windswell...expect pretty chilly morning conditions as well.

Here are the tides...

02:36AM LDT 1.0 L
08:27AM LDT 4.8 H
02:59PM LDT 0.0 L
09:03PM LDT 4.6 H

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Wind for Monday – Looks a lot like poo

Monday is not looking like a surf day.

We have this lovely cold front that has been blasting onshore wind pretty steady since about 9am this morning (earlier in some areas).



Anyway this wind is forecast to continue through evening…hold pretty steady to about midnight and then back down slightly as we head toward Monday morning. Unfortunately it is never supposed to stop blowing, just slow down, so it looks like Monday is going to be pretty hacked up even through the dawn patrol. Here is the COAMPS shot for tomorrow morning.



Looks good doesn’t it? With the wind not really backing down I am not expecting a very pretty picture condition/shapewise tomorrow. There may be a couple of exceptions if you can find a spot completely protected from the W winds…but then you wouldn’t have much swell since the majority of the energy in the water will be local windswell. Yeah basically it is going to suck.

You might try a cam check in the morning but I wouldn’t waste a lot of time looking for clean surf…it is most likely going to be a hacky, poopy mess. Oh and the upwelling probably dropped the water temps like 10-degrees too (just great).

Friday, March 20, 2009

Waves for the Weekend – a little bi-polar

We get a bit of a split decision this weekend...Saturday will be surfable but Sunday is looking pretty craptacular (stormy).

On Saturday we are going to see a mix of fading S swell, NW energy (290-300), and some local WNW windswell. Average breaks will be in the knee-waist high+ range while the top combo spots, mostly through OC and San Diego (mostly SD) will have some chest-shoulder high sets on the lower tides. Saturday’s swell will look a lot like what we have this afternoon.



Saturday’s weather will be ok...sort of eddy-like in the morning. Overcast with light/variable winds, chilly, with some light texture at the most exposed beaches. NW winds build in through the afternoon and top out around 10-15 knots.

Sunday looks a lot like poo. We will have building local NW windswell but shape is going to be pretty torn up. The NWS is calling for gale warnings throughout SoCal and all of the models are showing a lot of onshore flow. Check out the COAMPS model for Sunday morning (this is before the wind really gets going).



Needless to say that even though wave heights are increasing the onshore wind is going to really tear it up. It basically looks almost unsurfable on Sunday. Hopefully this front won’t be as nasty as the forecasts are calling for (we still have a couple of days for it to fall apart) but at this point I wouldn’t hold your breath. Basically we can expect W winds around 20-25+ knots for the morning with some possible 25-35 knot gusts by the afternoon.

Our best bet for surf is probably going to be midmorning on Saturday (at those better combo spots)...there will still be some fun size and the winds should still be ok as the tide drops. Sunday looks like a good day to catch up on your sleep, chores, basketball watching...

Here are the tides...have a good one!

Saturday
12:54AM LDT 2.3 L
06:32AM LDT 4.3 H
01:46PM LDT 0.0 L
08:12PM LDT 3.6 H

Sunday
01:31AM LDT 1.9 L
07:15AM LDT 4.6 H
02:12PM LDT -0.1 L
08:27PM LDT 3.9 H

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Surf for Friday – fading but still fun at times

Friday will have a few fun waves coming through...it won’t be stellar but if you have a good sandbar and a little exposure to the swell mix you should be able to snag a few sections.

Swellwise we are going to have a mix of mostly leftover S swell (180-190 and still surprisingly workable considering that we are about 6-7 days into the swell)...and some new, but steep NW swell (290-300+)...oh and a touch of local windswell as well.


The S-swell completes me. Maybe I should write it a love note?

Average exposed spots will have waist high surf with a few waist high+ sets. The better exposed combo spots will be more in the waist-chest high range...while the standout combo spots, mostly through San Diego and parts of Orange County, see some inconsistent chest high+ sets.

Winds look good...mostly light and variable through the morning with some patchy fog (so expect a bit of texture at your spot if it is buried by a fog bank). Afternoon winds come onshore out of the WNW around 10-14 knots.

There were definitely a few fun sets still sneaking around on Thursday...and like I said above the S swell had some legs to it...I was a little surprised to see as much size as I did at my local beach break. For Friday though I don’t expect there to be as much energy...it will still be playful but we can expect it to lose a bit more of the punch. Fortunately the windswell comes up slightly...so we could get a little lift from that energy.

In general I would plan on brining your boards/gear that work best in the small-playful size range. I would also try and stick to the better exposed combo spots if you can...just so that you can squeeze the last bit of energy and consistency from this swell mix. The tide might be a little high early in the morning but expect shape to improve as it starts to drop around midmorning/lunchtime. (Cross your fingers that the wind holds off till it drops).

Sunrise
6:30am (civil twilight)

Tides
12:03AM LDT 2.8 L
05:37AM LDT 4.1 H
01:14PM LDT 0.2 L
08:00PM LDT 3.5 H

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Surf for Thursday – Mostly leftovers

Thursday will have some waves but doesn’t look like a surf day (definitely a far cry from the waves earlier this week).

Looks like our run of surf is winding down...the S swell (180-190) is fading out and we don’t have much on tap to replace it. There is a little bit of NW swell (290-300+) and some local windswell that is working to keep wave heights from dropping too fast but there isn’t going to be a lot of energy in the water on Thursday.



Overall we can expect surf in the knee-waist high range...with a few inconsistent chest high sets at the better exposed breaks. The standout spots, mostly through San Diego, will have some chest high+ waves on the better sets. Overall it will be fairly inconsistent...and shape may be a little funky as we see mostly shorter swell periods.

Winds look ok again tomorrow...mostly light and variable through the morning. NW winds 10-15 knots will move in through the afternoon. Looks like Southern SoCal, Orange County and San Diego, have a chance at some more morning fog tomorrow as well...expect a little more texture/bump if the fog rolls over your spot.

I would plan on Thursday being sort of surfy...but not super fun. A lot is going to depend on how exposed your spot is, if you hit the tides/weather right. Ideally I think the morning would be the best shape but you do have the fog, and a slightly higher tide...both of which can be sort of lame if your spot is sensitive. I don’t think there is a “best call” for tomorrow...just try and keep an open mind, bring your smaller wave gear, and you should be able to get a couple of fun ones.

Here are the tides...

04:14AM LDT 3.9 H
12:33PM LDT 0.5 L
07:53PM LDT 3.2 H

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Surf for Wednesday – Hell yeah we are surfing

Wednesday will be another surf day (it will be 5 in a row!)

Sizes will be dropping but there will be still be plenty of waves on Wednesday. The S swell (180-190) that peaked Sunday and into Monday will continue to send in some surf tomorrow...it won’t be all that big anymore but there will still be some playful sets. We will also have some steep NW energy (290+ and mostly windswell) that will help to cross up a few of the best combo spots.

We can expect the average spots to drop into the chest high range with a few rarer shoulder high sets. Standout S facing breaks, mostly through OC and Northern SD, will have more consistent chest-shoulder high sets with a few bigger waves sneaking through at the top spots.

Winds will be clean in the morning with mostly light/variable to light offshore flow through the dawn patrol. Onshore winds return through midday and eventually top out of the W-NW around 10-15 knots by mid-afternoon.

Despite the dropping swell I still think we are going to have some fun tomorrow...I think that the best shape is actually going to be at the S-facing beach breaks that can also pull in a little of the windswell. Don’t get me wrong there will still be fun shape at the points/reefs but I think that with the smaller sizes that the beach breaks are going to open up and set up a few bowly peaks on the lower tides...and probably be less crowded and more consistent than the points/reefs. I would try and get it in the morning just because the wind will be a little strong by the afternoon...if you can try and hit it before 10am or so.

Have a good one...try not to drink too much green beer (stick to whiskey!)


I appear to be out...

Here are the tides n stuff...

Sunrise
6:33am (civil twilight)

Tides: (only two today)
02:21AM LDT 4.0 H
11:29AM LDT 0.7 L

Spring: The new shark season?

About this time last year we had a bunch of shark incidents...either people getting bumped, shark sightings, or the one horrible case of a swimmer being killed.

This year it sounds like the sharks are starting to get a little sassy again...there has been a couple of sightings down in South OC, and now some headless seal-lions have started washing up around Bolsa Chica.

While I was living up north...up by the Oregon Border...we definitely had a shark season in the Fall. The combo of big salmon runs and seal-lion breeding definitely increased Great White activity in the region...to the point that rivermouths were places to be well-avoided.

I am starting to wonder if Spring is Socal and Mexico’s version of “shark season”...what do you guys think? (Drop me some comments if you get a minute...I would love to hear from some Marine Biologists if we have any that read the blog)


Hey shouldn’t the bars on this cage be a little thicker?

Anyway...it just seems like activity is starting to rise again like it did last year.

If you are bored at work, here are a few articles that I threw up on the blog last year...

2008

Shark Encounter Huntington Beach (Interview)

Shark Encounter Huntington Beach

Here is some of the latest locally reported activity in 2009...

Dead Seals at Bolsa Chica

Shark Sighting at San Onofre

2008 Shark attack review in the OC register


Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Surf for Tuesday – another surf day

Tuesday is going to be a surf day.

Our S swell (180-190) will be fading out fast on Tuesday but there will still be plenty of waves showing at the exposed spots. It will be cleanest through the morning so try and get on it early if you can (and that way we can enjoy more green beer in the afternoon/evening).



The average S facing spots will continue to see chest-shoulder high surf on Tuesday. The better exposed areas will have some head high sets (maybe even a few inconsistent bigger ones through the early morning). Look for size and consistency to fade slowly as we head toward the afternoon.

Winds look decent...mostly light and variable to light offshore for the morning with the cleanest conditions hold through LA...and a few patches of light texture in Santa Barbara and San Diego. W winds around 10-14 knots fill in through the afternoon.

Finding waves should be pretty easy tomorrow...If you managed to score some good waves over the last couple of days then go back to those spots. If you didn’t surf, then check the S facing standouts. Orange County and Northern SD will have the biggest and most consistent surf but there will be plenty of fun waves in Southern Ventura and Northern LA County, (which started to work pretty nicely on this swell by Sunday). Like I said you are going to want to be on it early if you are looking for clean conditions...it will start getting bumpy by midday.

Hope you guys have a good St. Patrick’s Day...here are the tides.

Sunrise:
6:35am (civil twilight)

Tides:
01:09AM LDT 4.3 H
09:50AM LDT 0.8 L

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Surf for Monday – Me likey S swell!

The S swell (180-190) that peaked over the weekend will continue to hold solid into Monday and mix with a little NW windswell at a few of the better exposed spots. We are going to be losing just a little size and consistency tomorrow but overall there should still be plenty of waves at the exposed spots.


It is like S-swell porn!

Wave heights will continue to hold in the shoulder-head high range at most S-facing spots. The top S spots, mostly in Orange County and North San Diego, will have overhead sets with a few overhead+ sets mixing in.

There is supposed to be a light eddy tomorrow morning with some southerly flow at the more exposed breaks. Right now the forecasts are calling for winds to stay below 8-10 knots for the morning…so there may be some texture but it likely won’t be blown out. Considering how the wind has laid down this evening I think most spots will be pretty rideable tomorrow.

Since there is so much S energy in the water it has stirred up quite a current at the S facing beach breaks…if you plan on surfing in one of those areas expect to be paddling quite a bit. I think that the points/reefs will actually be a better call at this stage of the swell…they will hold wave shape better and set up some longer rides. I would probably only surf the beach breaks if you can’t handle the crowd any more and you just need some space…hopefully the crowd will have backed down from the weekend now that we have had a couple of days of waves (finally).



Here are the tides…

12:25AM LDT 4.6 H
08:15AM LDT 0.7 L
02:46PM LDT 2.5 H
05:57PM LDT 2.3 L

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Saturday Surf Report – Pretty fun this morning

I hope you guys are all out in the water right now and that I am posting this to a bunch of empty computers.

I managed to motivate for a dawn patrol surf (on a weekend no less!) and I just got out of the water…and it was pretty fun and playful. I surfed in the HB area and there were plenty of shoulder-head high sets with a few overhead waves sneaking in now and then. Peaky shape with a few hollow corners on the lower tide. Winds were good with some light offshore flow right when we pulled up.

The S swell is going to hold through the weekend…and even though the tide is coming up and the winds are shifting a bit more to the SSW I still think you will be able to pick off a session before it falls apart too much. Sunday’s conditions were looking a bit iffy the last time I looked at the charts so you might want to roll the dice and hunt down some waves today.

Anyway I hope you guys are getting a few…have a good weekend.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Waves for the Weekend – Surf Time!

This will be a surf weekend...Saturday looks like a fun surf day through the morning...and Sunday, well Sunday looks a bit funky as S winds move in from the local eddy.

We are going to have plenty of swell for the weekend...new S swell (180-190) began filling in here on Friday and it will peak on Saturday and Sunday before slowly fading through the beginning of next week.



Saturday the S facing breaks will have surf in the chest-shoulder high range. The better exposed spots will have head high sets while the standout breaks in Orange County and North San Diego County see overhead waves sneaking through on the lower tides.

Saturday’s weather looks ok...winds look mostly light and variable to light-offshore in the morning. W winds around 10-15 knots fill in through the afternoon and start to spin up the eddy overnight.

Sunday will have similar sizes as Saturday...lots of waves in the chest-shoulder high range with head high and overhead waves at the top S-facing spots.

Sunday’s weather is another story...stronger winds in the outer waters will form up the coastal eddy sending in S winds around 10 knots for Sunday morning and SW winds around 10-12 knots for the afternoon. Now these winds aren’t horrible but they aren’t going to make a lot of the “exposed” breaks all that clean...you are going to have to sacrifice cleanliness for size, which sucks. I would probably try to find areas that have some high cliffs or big kelp patches that can knock down a bit of the surface bump.



For the best conditions/tide/size combo I would plan on trying to surf early on Saturday before the tide starts to swamp things out. I got a few waves on Friday around lunchtime, and granted the swell was still filling in, but the high tide really worked over the shape...it had some potential but man it could barely break on the outside and this was a spot that normally works ok with a little more water. Anyway...the biggest surf will be showing through Orange County and North SD...but there will be a few fun size waves at the summer spots in the other regions as well...again it is worth noting that Northern LA county is going to have some shadowing issues, particularly as you get closer to Malibu, so keep that in mind if you are surfing around there.

On Sunday we are just going to have to cross our fingers that the eddy doesn’t get as strong as it is forecasting it to be this afternoon...I would probably take the morning a bit slower and see if you can get a read on conditions before jamming down to the beach.

Here are the tides...have a good one!

Saturday
06:15AM LDT 0.1 L
12:10PM LDT 3.5 H
05:35PM LDT 1.3 L
11:52PM LDT 5.0 H

Sunday
07:07AM LDT 0.4 L
01:08PM LDT 2.9 H
05:53PM LDT 1.8 L

Thursday, March 12, 2009

S swells for the Weekend – quick update

It still looks like those overlapping S swells (180-200) will peak over this upcoming weekend.

Exposed spots...mostly in Orange County and San Diego...will have consistent surf in the chest-shoulder high range with some inconsistent head high sets. The standout S facing spots, mostly just in the OC, will have some inconsistent overhead sets.

This isn’t going to be a super huge swell...but considering the winter we just slogged through it is nice to get some new swell heading our direction. Check out the CDIP for the next couple of days (sideways forecasts!)



It isn’t super descriptive thanks to the CDIPer’s having the scale dialed out to 3’ wave ranges...but you get the general feel of how the swell is going to hit over the weekend.

It is important (and you can tell by my excellent madden-style photoshopping) to note that there is going to be some shadowing for LA county from Catalina and San Clemente islands (and the whole cortez banks area as well). It doesn’t mean that it is going to get totally shut out but it will be about 40-50% smaller than the other areas. Stupid islands.

The wind forecast right now isn’t looking great...but fortunately the wind models have been totally jacked up on certain levels...so I expect to see some of the harsher parts of the wind model mellow out over the next few forecast runs. Really we should be expecting some onshore texture for almost all areas...lightest through the mornings (and cleanest on Saturday)...afternoons are going to be pretty hacked up so try and surf early.

I will have another “waves for the weekend” update tomorrow but I thought I could help you plan a little by posting this one today.

Surf for Friday – Go away wind!

Friday has potential to be a surf day...but the winds and the high midday tide are going to sort of give us the shaft.

We have some new S swell (180-190) filling in on top of the first small pulse we had limp in over the last couple of days...we are also going to see some steady local NW windswell mix with some background WNW energy helping to cross up some of the better exposed breaks. Check out the CDIP from this afternoon...



Friday’s surf looks like it could be fun if the wind cooperates...the average spots with S facing exposure will be in the waist-chest high range. The standout S facing spots and the good combo breaks will have some chest-shoulder high sets...and a few bigger sets sneaking through before sundown.

Northern LA County will have a few issues picking up the S swell thanks to blockage from nearshore islands...so the Malibu/Dume looks like it will be pretty shadowed...this is going to be an issue all the way through this swell. There will be a few small waves but it will be consistently smaller than the other S-exposed regions. I only mention it because the region is usually associated with Southern Hemi swells...and it isn’t going to get too much from this one.

Winds are what I am the most worried about...right now tomorrow’s conditions look “unstable” which mean they could tip either way...we could get lucky and have light/variable to even light offshore flow early...or the onshore bump will just hold through tonight into the morning. I actually think that it is going to vary spot by spot...sort of a swirly pattern...so we are going to need to keep an eye on the flags/trees/smokestacks/neighbors stupid wind vane and cross our fingers that we get lucky. Check out the COAMPS for tomorrow at about 8am...I am not super confident in this forecast...but it at least gives us some sort of idea of what this computer thinks.



Personally I am going to get up early and start checking the buoys and wind models like the COAMPS...

http://www.weatherflow.com/navair/analysis.html

and see how things are doing before the sun comes up...if it looks halfway decent I will try and get a quick run down to the beach. If you have to drive a ways for waves I might wait till there is enough light to see conditions on the surf cams. S facing spots are going to be the best tomorrow...but you might want to stick with breaks that have some protection from the wind.

Here are the tides...

Sunrise: 6:40am (civil twilight)
05:29AM LDT -0.1 L
11:22AM LDT 4.1 H
05:11PM LDT 0.8 L
11:21PM LDT 5.2 H

Random Surf Report – Stupid wind

If you didn’t get a chance to surf this morning...don’t worry you aren’t missing much.

Our first little shot of S swell is filling in this morning...it is a bit inconsistent and really it isn’t doing so hot as we head to nearly a 6-foot high tide...but it is out there and mixing with some other WNW swell energy.

Unfortunately the winds are getting an early start to it...check out the wind analysis from 7am this morning.



WNW-NW winds for most spots...not super strong but this was at dawn...and it is just expected to get worse this afternoon. There are a couple of semi-clean areas...North LA County is alright if you stick around the Malibu area (not much swell there though)...and Northern San Diego county, which has more swell, mostly light winds, but is starting to see some funky texture picking up.

This isn’t much of an update...but if you were planning on trying to surf today I wouldn’t spend a lot of time checking it.

I’ll be back with the forecast for Friday...and the overview of the upcoming weekend later this afternoon.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Surf on Thursday – Building S swell and touch of WNW

Thursday is looking pretty surfable...it won’t be super consistent but we can expect a bit more size that we have seen over the last couple of days (though Wednesday was fun in a few spots).

We are going to see a building S-SSW swell (180-200) which is actually the precursor to a larger swell that arrives later Friday and peaks Saturday and Sunday. This first little shot of swell is filling in right now and will get a bit more pronounced by Thursday...I actually expect a little more size by Thursday afternoon. We will also have a mix of WNW swell (290-300) holding in the background that could even cross up a few of the reeeeeaaaally exposed combo breaks.


It is nice to see a return of the longer swell-periods...

Tomorrow we can expect surf in the waist-chest high range for most spots that are exposed to at least one of the swells in the water. The better exposed S facing spots or the top NW facing spots can expect chest-shoulder high surf...a little inconsistent on the bigger sets but still fun on the lower tides. The standout breaks, mostly through Orange County and parts of San Diego, will have more consistent chest-shoulder high sets with a few head high waves starting to sneak in by the end of the day.

Weather and winds look a little funky...the morning shouldn’t be too bad...mostly variable winds below 5 knots. Not totally clean but not completely blown out either. Looks like that set up collapses fairly quickly and we see onshore winds build fast by midday and continue to increase into the NW 10-15+ knot range by the afternoon. Funky clouds, and a scattered shower here and there, continue to hold through the area as well.

I think that the S facing spots and the combo breaks are going to be the best call tomorrow...but only if you can get to them early or they have a lot of wind protection (if you are going to surf in the afternoon). Sets are still going to be a bit inconsistent at times, even slower as the tide drains out, but if you are patient there should be a few fun ones. I definitely wouldn’t take the day off or anything but you might want to plan to come into work a little later than normal to take advantage of the lower AM tide.

Here are the tides...

04:45AM LDT -0.1 L
10:39AM LDT 4.7 H
04:45PM LDT 0.3 L
10:52PM LDT 5.3 H

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Waves for Wednesday – building swell mix

Wednesday is looking more like a surf day than we have had in a while. It won’t be great…but the swell is finally starting to come up and winds are forecast to be light…which is about the most positive thing I have put in the forecast for like ever.

We are going to see a mix of steep NW swell (290-300) and some increasing (but still small) SW swell (190-210). Once the tide sort of evens out most spots will have surf in the knee-waist high range with a few waist high+ sets by the afternoon.

The standout NW facing breaks and the top combo breaks will have some waist-chest high sets on the lower tides and maybe a few bigger waves through the end of the day.

Winds are forecast to be light…even light/variable to light-offshore for the early morning and then stay pretty light, below 10-knots, for the afternoon. Check out the COAMPS winds for the morning…



Now I wouldn’t expect a ton of size or consistency tomorrow…especially as we try to power through the higher tides in the morning. I would still stick to the gear that is going to help you catch waves in smaller surf. Personally I would probably stick to some of the combo beach breaks…something that does well on local windswell and is exposed to the building S-SSW swells. I would try and keep an open mind since there won’t be a grip of waves…but the conditions finally starting to come back together is a lot more promising than the last couple of weeks.

Here are the tides…

04:02AM LDT 0.0 L
09:56AM LDT 5.3 H
04:17PM LDT -0.3 L
10:23PM LDT 5.3 H

Monday, March 9, 2009

Surf for Tuesday – Cleaner but still small

Tuesday is looking more surfable but there still isn’t much in the water to surf.

We are going to have a mix of slowly fading WNW energy (a mix of both short-period windswell and some longer-period leftovers) and some slowly increasing SSW swell (190-215).



Most spots will have surf in the knee high range with some inconsistent waist high sets. The standout combo areas and good NW windswell spots (mostly in San Diego) will have some waist-chest high sets...maybe a plus on the lower tides.

Winds look better tomorrow...the eddy will be not as pronounced and it looks like we could have light/variable winds through the morning. I would count on some WNW flow for Santa Barbara and Ventura...but mostly around 5 knots. The other areas will be more variable but don’t rule out a little bump at the more protected areas.

I would probably plan on bringing the small wave boards if you surf tomorrow...personally I am probably going to shine it...just so I can get caught up on some stuff (and blow off the end of the week if swell and conditions come together). I would stick to the combo beach breaks if you can...just because they might have a few more peakier sets sneaking through than the other areas.

Here are the tides...

03:19AM LDT 0.4 L
09:13AM LDT 5.6 H
03:47PM LDT -0.7 L
09:54PM LDT 5.1 H

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Surf for Monday – Small surf with a touch of eddy

Monday is not looking like much of a surf day.

There is not much swell in the water and we are transitioning to spring weather…the NPAC high is building and the backside of the high-pressure is sending NW winds down the coast that are starting to spin up our coastal eddy.

Swellwise we just have a touch of NW windswell and a bit of tiny Southern Hemi energy. Most spots will continue to hold around knee high with some rare knee high+ sets. Standouts will be more consistently in the knee-waist high range.

Winds will be fairly light in the morning with WNW flow pushing onshore up in Ventura and Santa Barbara…and light S winds pushing through San Diego and Orange County. LA looks like it will be somewhere in between…not clean or anything just sort of swirling variable winds. Expect NW winds around 10-15 knots by the afternoon for all areas.



I would probably plan on using Monday as a “get stuff done” sort of day…there will be some better S-SSW swells heading our way for later in the week (and through next weekend…basically we see back to back to back swells from the 11- 16th of March…nothing huge but still playfully sized)…we need to save all the brownie points that we can so that we can grab a few extra hours of surf time when they show.

Oh yeah…I just have to say that I did the math and

1 Sinus infection + 1 ear infection + (4 cases of flu) = major suckiness

Glad it is over…

02:22AM LST 1.1 L
08:21AM LST 6.4 H
03:21PM LST -1.4 L
09:33PM LST 4.6 H

Friday, March 6, 2009

Waves for the weekend – Not looking very fun

My whole family…me included…is down with the flu today so this is going to be a pretty short forecast. Unfortunately there isn’t a ton of swell arriving this weekend…and conditions look a bit sloppy too.

We will have a mix of knee-waist high+ WNW windswell and some background SW swell. A few of the top spots will be in the chest high+ range but they will be working almost entirely off the windswell.

Weather looks junky…we can expect some steady NW winds in the outer waters that are going to switch back and forth between reaching onshore or spinning up some slight eddies. Morning winds look the cleanest (that being a relative term)…with variable to SW flow around 10-knots. NW winds around 10-15 knots move through in the afternoon.

I would probably just do a quick cam check in the morning…it shouldn’t take you too long…just enough to convince yourself that cold waist high slop isn’t really that much fun.

I will be back, hopefully healthier, on Monday. Have a good one.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Friday’s Wind – this sucks

Friday is not going to be a surf day.

The good part of the WNW/SW swell mix will drop on Friday only to be replaced by junky local NW windswell. Local winds are expected to stay steady out of the WNW-NW around 10-15 knots for the morning and then boost up to 20-knots by the afternoon. A few scattered showers will push through as well.

So basically we are going to see onshore winds throughout the day...and even if they lighten up for the morning they will have been blowing all Thursday night...so any potential for surf will be pretty much hacked to pieces, except at the protected spots that won’t be able to pull any of the swell in anyways.

If it wasn’t blown out we could still expect some surf around waist-chest high at the average spots...and a few shoulder high sets at the standout NW facing ones.

This sucks. I would give you the tides but it won’t matter. Hopefully we will see things start to shake out better for later next week (as some new SW swell starts to arrive).

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Thursday’s Surf – still a bit fugly

The swell mix is going to continue into Thursday but weather is still a bit funky…there will be waves but it still won’t be a good surf day.

In the water we are going to have a mix of WNW swell, both medium and short-period…sort of mix of windswell and some storm swell, and some background SW swell (195-220). The outer buoys are showing some good numbers right now but that WNW swell (300+) is coming in pretty steep…mostly well over the 300-degree shadow. Check out the San Nicolas Buoy…



Most W facing spots and the average combo breaks are going to see surf in the chest-shoulder high range. Standout NW facing spots and the excellent combo spots, mostly in San Diego, will have some shoulder-head high sets…and maybe a few overhead waves at times.

Winds and weather are where we get tripped up again…there are basically 2 cold fronts moving through the area. One is heading through tonight, it is almost past us at this point, but the other one moves through later on Thursday and early Friday. So tomorrows dawn patrol sort of slips in between, which means that winds won’t be horrible…but they also won’t be very stable…and any semi-surfable conditions that we see in the morning won’t last long. So for tomorrow I am expecting variable onshore winds, again in the 5-8 knot, but they are going to vary by the region. Santa Barbara and Ventura will have more onshore flow, the South Bay should be lighter, and SD and OC will be sort of pick and choose. If you have something to block the winds in those areas it will be a better choice than the wide open spots.

Personally I am going to be checking it on the cams in the morning…I am not really ready to commit a lot of time to these type of conditions. But if you live close to the beach it might be worth a quick drive-by of the beach if winds look light at your house.

03:22AM LST 4.9 H
11:34AM LST -0.4 L
06:32PM LST 3.2 H
10:39PM LST 2.5 L

Travel Update: Another SW’er for Central America and Mainland Mex

I was just looking at the SPAC charts and there is another string of SW swells (190-220), with one bigger pulse of SW right in the middle, heading to Central America and Mainland Mexico.

These swells start arriving in the area around the 9th…with one swell peaking on the 11-12th and another peaking on the 13-14th.

The first swell is already in the water…you can see the fetch nice and clear on the quikSCAT…



The second and third swells are forming over the next 48-72 hours, and I have seen them on the charts for a few days so I think they are fairly credible at this point. Check ‘em out on the Wavewatch-III swell period graphic.



Sizewise…the first pulse that arrives on the 9th looks good for chest-head high waves for most of the average areas…a few of the standouts will have some bigger sets but it won’t be huge or anything. Just a fun, warm water, early season swell.

The second and third swells (which really blend into a single big pulse of SW swell) start arriving on the 11th…but really peak more from the 12-14th and then trail off very slowly after that. These swells look good for consistent head high to overhead surf for most of the average spots. The top spots will have sets going a couple of feet overhead on the biggest waves…and the deepwater spots, like Puerto, will see some sets nearing double overhead (but probably not quite getting there).

Socal will see much, much, smaller versions of these swells arriving on the 11th and then again on the 14-16th. It will be closer to chest-shoulder high at the average spots around Socal…with some bigger waves showing in OC and parts of San Diego. Also if you look at the swell-period chart again…it looks like a little long-period WNW will be showing around that time too. So there is a chance at some playful waves…much smaller, colder, and less consistent playful waves…for those of us that can’t make the trip.

Hope some of you can sneak away…as always I love to see pictures and get reports if you do head down that way.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Waves for Wednesday – more swell and a little storminess

Wednesday will have some more waves but thanks to conditions it doesn’t look like a surf day.

The current mix of WNW energy will increase on Wednesday with both the short and longer-period swells gaining a bit of strength. We will also have a new pulse of SSW swell starting to push into the mix…not a ton…but enough to break it up at the combo spots.

Wave heights will build into the chest-shoulder high range at most exposed W facing breaks and the better combo spots. The top WNW facing breaks in San Diego and Ventura as well as the best combo breaks in the other regions can expect sizes in the chest-head high range fairly consistently with some overhead sets mixing in at times. San Diego looks like it will be the most exposed and will be the most consistent but there will be plenty of waves at the other regions as well.

Winds and weather are where the wheels come off…we have this lovely storm/cold front sitting off the coast.



The current forecast models are showing the front brushing over Socal and heading off to the NW over central California…enough to give us a few scattered showers and some funky windage. Not a real storm but enough to sort of hack up the surf shape. Here is what the current COAMPS model is calling for…



It is mostly onshore wind on this model…but there is a little weird buffer between the stronger winds off the coast and the actual beach. This is showing 7-8am…so there may be a chance at some surf in select areas. Basically I would expect variable onshore flow around 5-8 knots tomorrow morning for most areas and some stronger S-WSW winds around the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas. The afternoon looks even sloppier with W winds around 10-15 knots.

What I am hoping is that it gets really cold tonight…if it does there is a shot at a little high-pressure ridge setting up over Socal that could bump the front further north…leaving us with some manageable winds in the morning. I don’t have a lot of faith in this happening (it is the worst winter ever)…but it is worth watching for.

Basically I would plan on giving the cams a check in the morning and, if your local spot looks clean enough, then heading to the beach. It is supposed to be drizzly, a little cool, and have some onshore sickness…so I don’t think it will be worth driving very far. Hopefully we will get lucky and we can get some of this swell mix before the winds tweak it too much.

01:47AM LST 4.8 H
10:25AM LST 0.1 L
06:06PM LST 2.8 H
08:29PM LST 2.7 L

Monday, March 2, 2009

Surf for Tuesday – new W-WNW swell moving in

We will have some new waves on Tuesday but, thanks to conditions, I am not sure it will be a full out surf day.

New W-WNW swell (270-300) coming from a storm just off the California coast is just starting to fill in...it isn’t showing much yet, but it will continue to build through tomorrow morning and start to peak sometime in the evening (holding waves into Wednesday). There is also a touch of background SW swell in the water that will strengthen more as we head into the middle of the week.

Check out the CDIP right now...you can actually see the new swell being fed into the model. It isn’t hitting the beach yet but the “potential” is starting to show.



This is sort of a “nerd alert” so if you are just looking for surf then skip ahead...

This is a great time to talk about one of the issues of the CDIP model...particularly this graphic that covers the SoCal Bight (the area from SB down through San Diego and includes the nearshore islands). The CDIP model has a particular weakness...basically it initializes the graphic image off of data from a Buoy...in this case the Harvest Buoy that sits outside of Point Conception.

The computer that runs the model basically takes the data from the Harvest Buoy and says “OK if this is what is showing here, at this fixed point, then this is how the swell would interact with the rest of the Socal Bight). Unfortunately it doesn’t account for the time difference between the buoy and the beach...so potentially the model could have a several hour difference between the jump in the “colors” on the image and actual waves at the beach.

This is particularly maddening for W-NW swells because it will show energy that hasn’t hit the beach yet...but it does mess with us on S swells too because the Harvest Buoy is higher in latitude than most of the rest of SoCal...so by the time it shows on this model then it has already hit the beach.

The CDIP guys actually have a FAQ that talks about this... CDIP FAQ

But this is the section that is particularly relevant...

"The model only simulates waves arriving from outside the islands (wave periods of 8 seconds and longer). It doesn't consider any local generation of seas.

To create the image, deep water wave data is collected by a Datawell buoy in 549 meters of water, about 19 kilometers west of Pt. Arguello. This data is transferred to the Coastal Data Information Program at Scripps at approximately 30 minute intervals.

The buoy data is processed to produce an estimate of the deep water directional spectrum (shown at the bottom left of the image). Because there is a time difference between the time the swell reaches the buoy and the time it reaches the beaches, the image is not really a "snapshot" of estimated heights. For a swell from the W-NW, the lag between a swell reaching San Diego after being measured at the buoy is typically around 6 hours or so, making the image more of a short range forecast for San Diego. However, for a south swell, the waves have pretty much hit all the Southern California beaches before reaching the buoy, making the estimates of a south swell more of a hindcast. "


This is another good example of the “need” to have a lot of tools in your forecasting toolbox...anyway I just thought I would share and try and shore up a little of the “Great the model says there is surf but it is flat right now...WTF?” confusion.

End “nerd alert”...

So back to the surf...with this new W-WNW energy and the touch of SW swell...I am expecting the average exposed spots to be in the waist-chest high range for tomorrow morning with some shoulder high sets mixing in at times and becoming more consistent by the end of the day.

The Standout W facing spots, mostly in San Diego, Ventura, and the South Bay...will have surf in the chest-shoulder high+ range fairly consistently. There will be some head high sets mixing in early and I expect some overhead sets coming through by the afternoon.

The winds may be an issue...current forecasts are not calling for a lot of onshore flow but some of the models are showing some W-NW flow, around 5-8 knots, through the morning and some 10-12 knot bump by the afternoon. It may lay down in the evening but a lot will depend on how much pushes through midday.

Personally I think this swell has potential to be fun...I wish we could count on the wind but thems the breaks. I am probably going to get up early and do a cam check (and look at some of the sites out there that carry real-time winds) just to see if it is chunking up the conditions. This is a pretty democratic swell so a lot of spots will be able to pull it in...basically Santa Barbara on down to San Diego...just expect the biggest shape at spots that normally do well on W-WNW swells.

We can expect sort of stacked up windswelly shape no matter what the wind is doing...it is just the nature of the swell, but if you have a spot that focus the energy, (or a point that can groom it out a little bit), you might get some better sections. That is all I got for now (sorry for the super-duper long post)...cross your fingers that the winds can stay down.

Here are the tides...it is a weird tide swing day...

12:29AM LST 4.9 H
08:45AM LST 0.5 L
The next high tide is on Wednesday @ 01:47AM LST (4.8 H)

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Surf for Monday – Slow increase

Monday is looking surfable…but we are going to see a little funkiness from an approaching storm front.

We are going to see a slight increase of the WNW mix, inconsistent SW pulse, and some local NW windswell. It isn’t going to be that big but it should slowly get more consistent throughout the day thanks to some initial energy from a storm forming further off the California Coast.

We can expect the average spots to continue to see surf in the waist-high range with some chest high sets. The top combo spots, mostly through San Diego and parts of South OC, see some chest high sets. I would keep an eye on the best west facing beaches late in the afternoon/evening hopefully we can see some early energy leaking in from the approaching swell…I wouldn’t count on it but if you live close it might be worth keeping an eye on the surf cams.

Winds and weather mostly look good…that storm off the coast is going to start edging over the area, but like that system last week, the outer front really only honks with the upper level stuff (so we see clouds, some scattered showers, but not a lot of wind on the surface.)

I am expecting mostly light and variable winds through the morning…and sort of variable onshore winds in the afternoon. I don’t think it will be super glassy but I do think that it will be clean enough to get a few waves throughout most of the day.

12:01AM LST 2.5 L
05:53AM LST 4.8 H
01:19PM LST -0.4 L
07:46PM LST 3.6 H

Oh hey…make sure to check out my interview over on Dailystoke.com…they asked me a bunch of questions about forecasting and I wrote really long answers so they are going to break up the responses over the next few days…so make sure to check ‘em out.