Waves for Monday – More foggy surf

Monday will be surfable, but between the fog, and the lame fog winds, I think that it won’t quite be a surf day.

Swellwise we are going to have a mix of still peaking NW swell (290-300) and some S-SW swell (190-220). The NW’er has been running more 295-300-degrees for most of the day on Sunday…but looking at some of the latest buoy readings it appears that some of the more westerly elements of the swell are starting to fill in…so the spread will be a truer 290-300, maybe even some energy as low as 285. Overall it will feel like more energy showing at the top NW spots, while a few of the breaks that need the more WNW swell angles will finally start to see some waves, not big ones mind you, but at least something to ride.



Wave heights are going to continue to average in the waist high range for most spots…the better NW breaks and the ok combo spots will be more in the waist-chest high+ range. Top NW facing spots (breaks that like the 295+ swell angles) as well as the best combo spots will have more consistent chest-shoulder high surf with a few bigger sets mixing in at times.

Weather still looks a bit lame…we will continue to see the periods of patchy-but-thick fog, and variable onshore flow that has crept in with it. Look for light onshore flow around 3-5 knots with some areas seeing some occasionally stronger winds. Afternoon winds pick up out of the WNW 10-15 knots.



So for tomorrow I do think there will be surf…it just won’t be all that great…winds and fog will continue to hamper conditions. I think your best bet will be just to stick to your local spots…the onshore bump is going to be mostly out of the west, which screws pretty much everyone. If you don’t mind the bump…I would concentrate on the good combo spots if you are in North LA and Orange County…and the top NW facing breaks in San Diego (mostly South San Diego) and Ventura.

Here are the tides…lets cross our fingers that conditions will improve in the next day or two. (Looks much cleaner later this week).

12:51AM LDT 0.6 L
07:34AM LDT 4.0 H
12:46PM LDT 2.6 L
06:19PM LDT 4.7 H

Waves for the Weekend – Combo swell continues

Saturday and Sunday both look like surf days...on paper...but the potential for the funky chicken eddy winds will continue to kind of hang out there in the background.

The wind this morning that blew through SD and OC was pretty freaking lame...and trust me I was as bummed about it as you were. There were a few spots out there that were protected enough to be fun...but you had to hunt around for them.

On Saturday and Sunday the mix of S-SSW swell (180-200) will continue push through and blend with some fading but still fun WNW windswell. Saturday will be the biggest day as the S swell continues to peak but decent size will hold into Sunday (and really into the early part of next week).

Sizewise look for lots of chest-shoulder high surf at the average exposed spots this weekend. The standout S facing breaks and the best combo spots will have some head high+ sets through Saturday that will get less consistent and more in the shoulder-head high range by Sunday.

Winds are were things get a little funky...these winds we have here on Friday are forecast to back down tonight and turn more S-SE’erly for tomorrow morning. The different forecast models are calling for either light S winds or light/variable to light SE for the morning on both Saturday and Sunday. By midday we can expect building SW-W onshore flow with it topping out around 10-14 knots for the afternoon.

I think it will be surfable at most areas tomorrow...it may be bumpy and shape may be a little lame...but it will be rideable. The S facing spots will have the biggest waves but I think the combo spots that have some protection from the S winds will actually be the best call for tomorrow. I wouldn’t plan on driving very far just because the winds are so unstable...but if you have a spot like that close by I would give it a check. I would keep an eye on the winds as well later Friday night...if they do back down after dark then we have a better shot of getting more widespread cleaner conditions by Saturday. Same goes for Saturday night into Sunday.

Well cross your fingers that the winds don’t try and shaft us too hard (it is springtime)...have a good one.

Saturday
04:24AM LDT -0.8 L
10:39AM LDT 3.5 H
03:27PM LDT 1.8 L
09:35PM LDT 5.7 H

Sunday
05:01AM LDT -0.7 L
11:24AM LDT 3.4 H
03:56PM LDT 2.1 L
10:05PM LDT 5.5 H

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

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