Waves for the weekend – better conditions and tasty waves

Well I don’t know about “tasty” waves (I have seen what is usually floating out there)...but both Saturday and Sunday are going to be surf days.

Conditions are going to improve quite a bit as this cold front moves out later Friday night. By Saturday we are going to see a mix of still healthy, but steeply swell-angled NW windswell, some background S-SW energy from a couple of small SPAC storms, as well as a touch of longer-period NW swell from the North Pacific.

On Saturday morning we can expect the average spots to see consistent chest high surf with some less consistent shoulder high sets mixing in. Top NW facing surf spots, mostly through San Diego (but in Ventura and the South Bay as well ), we will see consistent head high sets with some overhead peaks mixing in on the better sandbars. Expect to lose some size at most spots as the NW windswell backs off slowly through the day.

Sunday will be a bit smaller but shape may improve as the shorter swell-periods groom out. There will still be the mix of windswell, S-SW energy and WNW swell...just a little more long-period energy and less local windswell. We can still expect surf in the chest high range for most spots with some inconsistent chest high+ sets. Top combo breaks, in Orange County and San Diego, will have some shoulder high+ sets.

Winds on both days are looking pretty good. Light and variable to light offshore for the mornings...and then the normal moderate onshore for the afternoons (W-NW around 10-14 knots).

Check out the COAMPS for both days’ dawn patrols.

Saturday



Sunday



I think that top sandbars are going to be the call this weekend...the combo swell usually works pretty good at the beach breaks but the shorter period windswell needs a little help standing up, a bathometric Viagra if you will, so some extra sand will work a little better. The points/reefs could be fun too just don’t expect long sections, it will be a bit broken up. San Diego is going to have the most size throughout SoCal...but most areas should have some spots working so it won’t be worth driving very far. Overall I think we can have some fun if we hit it early, and just appreciate that conditions are total poop anymore.

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

Saturday
05:33AM LDT 4.7 H
12:50PM LDT -0.5 L
07:21PM LDT 4.1 H

Sunday
12:56AM LDT 1.5 L
06:39AM LDT 4.9 H
01:31PM LDT -0.5 L
07:50PM LDT 4.6 H

Random afternoon update - Fun swell mix

During lunch I had a chance to catch a few waves at one of the fun S swell spots, a local beach break here in North OC. We actually ended up paddling out around 11am or so and it seemed like the swell mix, the weather, and the tides all seemed to come together just right.

The wind is starting to get to it now but there were definitely some fun peaky waves rolling through. It was mostly S lines but with enough punchy windswell pushing through that it was breaking it up...and setting up a few ripable rights. Sizewise it was hovering around chest-shoulder high on most of the sets...but occasionally there were some head high (almost overhead) peaks that would roll through. It was pretty damn fun thanks to the big sandbar.

It looks like OC and North San Diego are the best call right now...they are just getting the lions-share of the swell energy...North LA is seeing a few fun waves at the point breaks as well.

Expect it to be pretty bumpy if you paddle out in the next few hours but keep an eye on it later this evening...there is a good sized marine layer (semi-fog bank) holding off the coast...it may move in and damp down the winds as we head towards sundown.