Surf for Tuesday – Fading but fun WNW’er

Tuesday will be a surf day.

Our WNW swell mix (280-300) will be fading but will still manage to hold onto plenty of fun-sized surf. A small mix of S-SW swells will hold in the background but won’t do much more than crease up a few corners at the combo spots that can pull in both swells.



Look for average spots to continue to see consistent chest-shoulder high surf. Better WNW facing breaks see some chest-head high sets and the Standout NW spots (in Ventura, the South Bay, and South San Diego) see more consistent shoulder-overhead surf with a few sets still going overhead+ through the morning at spots that can help power through the morning high tides.

Winds look good for the morning…mostly light and variable to light/moderate offshore. Looks like most of the offshore flow will be through Santa Barbara and down through Northern LA. Spots further south will have lighter, but still clean, conditions on tap. Look for WNW winds around 10-15 knots to push in through the afternoon.



Overall I think that we are still going to have plenty of fun despite the fading swell…there will be enough energy in the lower-periods of this swell that even though we don’t get the full on dumpers that were coming through on Sunday/Monday it will probably start to feel more workable, and a few of the spots that shun the longer-period energy will actually start to work a bit more. If you can I would probably try to wait out or avoid the early morning high tide…it hurt shape in a lot of spots…but if you can’t you will definitely want to stick with breaks that have the WNW exposure AND can handle a high tide.

Speaking of which…here they are.

12/29/2009 Tuesday
06:20AM LST 6.2 H (smells a little swampy)
01:59PM LST -1.1 L
08:25PM LST 3.5 H

Surf for Friday – Fading WNW swell and approaching rain

Despite what the title says…Friday looks like a surf day.

Our WNW swell (285-300…but mostly 290-300) will be on the way down but should still manage to send in some fun waves to the exposed spots. In the background we can expect a mix of smaller local windswell and a weak touch of SW swell.



The average exposed spots are going to see surf in the waist-chest high range with some shoulder high sets still showing at times. The better WNW-NW facing spots will hold more in the chest-head high range with some much less consistent overhead sets. The standout NW facing breaks, mostly in San Diego, will be running chest-head high but with more consistent overhead+ waves still mixing in. Tide will be a little fat through the morning but will improve as we head toward lunch.

Winds look ok…sort of E-ESE in the morning…shifting more S-SE by midday and into the afternoon. Wind speeds hold around 10-12 knots early but then build more 10-15+ knots by the afternoon. Look for increasing cloudiness and the chance of rain moving in for the second part of the day.



So there will still be plenty of surf on tap for Friday…nothing huge, but still fun if you can find the right spot. I would try and get on it around midmorning…but keep an eye on the winds, you might want to push out into the still thick tide before the winds start to switch around too much.

Here are the tides…

12/11/2009 Friday
05:01AM LST 5.6 H
12:15PM LST 0.3 L
06:11PM LST 3.4 H
11:15PM LST 1.7 L

Surf for Thursday – Trailing off

Thursday will be another surf day but overall we can expect much smaller surf than we had earlier in the week.

We are going to a mix of fading S-SW swell (170-220) and some slowly increasing NW windswell.



Most spots are going to see surf in the waist-chest high+ range while the standout S facing breaks, and good combo spots, see surf in the chest-shoulder high+ range on sets. I am expecting the bigger waves to show at the good focal spots that can concentrate the swell mix...as well as the good sandbars that can help stand up the swell a bit as filters through.

Winds look ok...the slight eddy/June gloom conditions will continue on Thursday. Look for variable to light-southerly flow for the morning and NW winds around 10-12 knots for the afternoon.

After cruising around a bit today it looked like the swell was starting to break up a bit as the bigger energy trailed off. The beach breaks, while not great, were starting to show a few shoulders here and there...I expect that to continue into tomorrow as well. The points and reefs will still be the best call shapewise but look for smaller and less consistent surf-conditions for most spots. With the dropping size you are going to want to be a little bit more tide conscious as well...

Here are the tides...

12:58AM LDT 0.7 L
06:52AM LDT 3.0 H
11:34AM LDT 1.9 L
06:10PM LDT 5.5 H



Just a random heads up...down in the tropics it looks like our first tropical depression of the season is starting to pull together. The NHC models are giving it a pretty good chance of building into a Tropical Storm in the next couple of days. Who knows we might see some tropical swell before too long.

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

Friday's Surf - Slow fade

Friday will be another surf day but our waves will be winding down and we will still need to sneak round the big-ass high tide.

Our surf will be a mix of fading SSW swell and leftover WNW energy. Most spots will hold around knee-waist high+ with some chest high sets. Standouts will be more in the waist-chest high range with some chest high+ waves on the better tides. Look for the biggest waves through San Diego and OC, but still fun size through LA and Ventura.

Winds look nice and light in the morning. Mostly light/variable to light offshore. Winds for the afternoon will stay on the light side as well...coming onshore around 5-10 knots out of the west after lunchtime.

If you have surfed in the last couple of days you can expect pretty similar conditions to what we have seen...only a bit smaller, and probably a little more walled up at the beach breaks (if that is even possible once we get to the low tide drainers). Points and Reefs will have the best shape overall and may even deal with the tide swing (a little) better. There will definitely be some windows where shape and conditions are better. I think the Dawn Patrol should be pretty fun...and if winds stay light, early afternoon as the tide starts to drop but hasn't gone into the surf black-hole of the negative low tide.

Tides for Friday

04:26AM 2.0' Low
10:40AM 6.3' High
06:11PM -0.5' Low

Thursday's Surf - still some fun ones out there

Thursday will be yet another surf day

Seriously how good has it been at the combo spots the last few days? Man I love Fall...I even put "I (heart) Fall" on my license plate frame. Well no, not really that would be weird. I actually have "my other car is a GOES Satellite with enhanced infrared imaging" which is waaaay more normal. Anyway enough about how cool I am...

This lovely little swell mix that we have had for the last couple of days will continue to push some waves into Thursday but will start to wind down just a touch. Mostly the SSW swell will drop off slowly while we get another small pulse of WNW swell to prop up the energy coming out of the North Pacific.

Most spots will see surf consistently in the waist high range, with some inconsistent chest high sets.

The standout combo breaks, mostly through Southern Ventura, The South Bay, Orange County and San Diego, will have surf more consistently in the chest high range with some shoulder high (and maybe even some shoulder high+ sets).

Winds look good again (they get a little funkier Friday and Saturday so enjoy them). Expect mostly light and variable, with a touch of onshore bump for Santa Barbara. Here check out the map.



Onshore winds build in through the afternoon...topping out around 12-15 knots out of the W around mid-afternoon.

I would probably plan on hitting up the combo beach breaks tomorrow. I think there will be plenty of waves spread out along the beaches so you might be able to find a peak for you and your friends. Points and Reefs will be a bit crossed up...still fun but not as lined up as you would get on a "pure" swell. I would try to get on it in the morning...the winds start to shift around pretty early Thursday and could junk things up for the afternoon.

Random Heads Up...I am seeing some signs of Santa Ana type conditions setting up later in the weekend (Sunday night into Monday). This is still a few days but if it can combo up with some tropical swell and some WNW energy we could have a fun couple of days next week. I will keep you posted as we get closer.

Waves for Wednesday – Still a few fun ones

Wednesday will be a surf day…nothing super exciting but still rideable and playful at the exposed spots.

We are going to have a mix of SSW swell (190-200) and some local WNW windswell…there won’t be a ton of windswell so look for sort of lined up S lines at most breaks with a few more makeable corners at the combo spots.

On average most spots will be in the knee-waist high range with some inconsistent chest high sets.
Standout S facing spots and the good combo surf breaks, within the Orange County and San Diego areas, will be in the waist-chest high range fairly consistently with some shoulder high+ sets sneaking through on the lower tides.

Winds are expected to be light again in the morning with only minor onshore texture at the more open beaches. Look for the usual W winds around 10-12 knots by the afternoon.

Like I said I think tomorrow will be a surf day with some inconsistent but fun waves showing at most of the “summer” spots. OC and SD will be the biggest and most consistent but again I don’t think it will warrant driving very far to surf either area unless you just have cash and gas to burn. I think the morning will still have the best shape but try and work around the low tide…or find a spot that likes a little less water.

Tuesday's Surf - Slow Drop

Tuesday will be a surf day...it will be smaller than the last couple of days but still rideable at the S exposed breaks.

We are going to have a mix of quickly fading tropical S swell from the now dissipated Genevieve, some background southern hemi energy, and a touch of local windswell.

On average spots with some S exposure will be around waist high. Standout S facing spots, again mostly in North Orange County, will have some chest-shoulder high sets.

Winds will be light again in the early morning...with some light onshore texture at the more exposed areas. Look for onshore bump to increase steadily throughout the day and top out in the afternoon with 10-15+ knot winds at the more open beaches.

Despite the fatter morning tides I think that your best bet will be to get out and surf the dawn patrol. The combo of dropping swell, building morning tide, and increasing wind will make things a bit lame by mid-morning. North Orange County will continue to see the biggest, most consistent size but there should be some playful waves at the other exposed areas as well. I think that the points and reefs will still have the best shape but now that the swell is dropping a little we may have a few more workable corners at the beach breaks.