Sunday, December 13, 2009

Surf for Monday – Windswell, WNW energy, and maybe a small morning window

If you look at the whole day, Monday isn’t looking like much of a surf day...but there may be a little wiggle-room in the morning.

In the water we are going to have a mix of steady and still pretty strong NW windswell, some medium period WNW-NW swell (285-300) that moves in slowly throughout the day, and some background SW energy.



Most average WNW facing breaks are going to see surf in the waist-chest high range...but with a few bigger sets at the spots that do better on the short-period swells. Top NW facing breaks will be in the chest-head high range with a few bigger sets mixing in through the better parts of the tide. Most of the bigger sizes will be at the NW windswell standouts in San Diego, but the better NW areas in Ventura and the South Bay will have some bigger sizes as well.

Winds are where things look a little funky. The general wind for tomorrow will be onshore, with plenty of NW winds continuing to follow in behind the departing cold front that battered us all weekend. We may see a little surf window in the morning…particularly if our air-temps get really cold tonight. If it gets cold enough we may see a bit of a land-breeze form up, which would keep shape at least sort of rideable in the semi-protected areas for the morning. Check out the COAMPS…they are showing a bit of that instability/land-breeze in the forecast model.



So overall I am not expecting it to be very clean, or that fun on Monday…while there might be some lumpy, but not totally blown out peaks in the morning, it won’t last long. Eventually the winds will turn onshore out of the WNW-NW around 10-20 knots and tear up shape all over by the middle of the day. Really, between the questionable clean and the continuingly poor water quality, you probably shouldn’t waste a lot of time on the surf for Monday…but if poo-water doesn’t bother you, and you live close-by, you might give your windswell spot a quick drive-by or at least a fast morning cam check.

Here are the tides…have a good week!

12/14/2009 Monday
12:41AM LST 2.2 L
06:55AM LST 6.0 H
02:26PM LST -0.9 L
08:51PM LST 3.6 H

8 comments:

Anthony said...

So, I know we have runoff, how bad is it really to go surfing after the rain? I mean, is it really needed to wait 3 days?

Anonymous said...

hype the pollution and then go out. just please shower after.

Anonymous said...

very much overhead on sets this morning. every forecast/report seemed to be off for today.

Anonymous said...

overhead where at?
its like 1-3 almost ewverywhere

Anonymous said...

"very much overhead on sets this morning. every forecast/report seemed to be off for today."

I paddled out late today in HB (around 11:30). The tide was a little high so it was a little fat and smaller, but when the tide dropped a little it started to pick up, a couple maybe chest high+ sets coming through. Wind was almost non-existant as it was still super glassy (but smaller) when I got out at about 1:30.

Anonymous said...

I will not say where I was at, but it was north of HB and South of County Line and it was WELL overhead on sets. My final wave of a two and half hour session snapped the actual cord of my leash with its power. So "anonymous" I agree with you. One of the best days I can remember. Hats off to you.

Anonymous said...

Dare I say.... SurfLIE called it better today than this beloved blog. :(


;)

Regardless, it was a fun, pleasant surprise.

Anonymous said...

I surfed Santa Monica this morning and it was at least occ. head high on sets. Offshore winds and peelers thru the high tide. It's ok, sometimes forecast models can't predict very well. Interesting that weather.com had a "Coastal Flood Statement" advisory for LA County this morning.