Sunday, June 11, 2006 | Sunday our new SW swell has arrived on schedule with some long period energy and moderately sized surf. After this swell backs down in the next couple days, we’ll be facing some wind and wind swell issues. A modest burst of southern hemi energy is due this coming weekend, an increase is expected by the 19th, yet it looks like we’ll be seeing some very significant swell on the 20th.
Right now, the California Buoy is checking in at 4 feet with 7-second periods. Closer to the coast, the Half Moon Bay buoy is at 4 feet with 8-second periods and Cape San Martin buoy is at 4 feet with 18-second periods.
SW periods are running a very long 17-19 seconds from 200 degrees, and NW wind swell is coming through with periods running only 8-10 seconds from 310 degrees.
Note that the long-period nature of the SW swell in the water today is making for some variation in size between south facing breaks of varying bathymetry. Breaks with steeper bathymetry that shoal and refract well will see bigger sets at times than the slower, longboard breaks. This swell also has some long lulls at times with the best size being somewhat infrequent.
In SoCal, most south facing breaks are seeing sets in the waist to chest high zone with top spots picking up occasional set waves running shoulder high-yet these better set waves are the exception and not the rule. Note also that the 200-degree angle of today’s swell is making for some island blockage in some areas, including some breaks around Orange County. West facing spots are seeing mostly waist high surf.
Northern California and the Central Coast are seeing waist to at times chest high surf around south facing breaks – knee to waist elsewhere.
The tide is starting to become an issue and we’ll be seeing a radical tidal swing this week from a Full Moon occurring today. This will be quite noticeable by Monday and Tuesday when early AM sessions see…more
Water temperatures are averaging 68 degrees in San Diego, 68 in Orange County, 65 in LA, 62 in Ventura County, 63 in Santa Barbara, 56 along the central coast, and 56 in NCal.
Winds as of 8:00 this morning were lightly onshore most everywhere with NCal seeing 10 mph westerlies, Ventura seeing NW winds to 7, and southerly winds in OC, LA, and SD to 8. Afternoon onshores are expected to reach 8-12 mph. The coastal eddy that’s stirring up our texture breezes this morning will…more
Moderate SW this coming weekend…more
Better sized SW on the 19th…more
Very significant southerly swell being tracked for the 20th…more