Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006 | Today we’ve had a fair amount of NW and SW ground swell along the California coast with the SW fading and NW gaining some strength. This trend will continue Thursday as heavy troughing along the coast increases the onshore flow and wind swell. Friday is in for a boost in southern hemi energy, but bring a full suit. The weekend takes a turn to offshore (by Sunday) and some good-sized SW is due early next week. We’re also keeping a close watch on a new system in the tropics: TD-13E, a potential swell maker.
Right now, the California Buoy is checking in at 9 feet with 10-second periods. Closer to the coast, the Half Moon Bay buoy is at 8 feet with 11-second periods and Cape San Martin buoy is at 7 feet with 13-second periods.
While these outer water, northern indicators show primarily NW energy, buoys around SoCal waters are showing a fair amount of SW swell with 2.1-2.7 foot seas having 14 second periods.
Overall, the swell energy in the water shows southerly periods averaging 14-16 seconds from 200 degrees and NW periods running 13 seconds from 305 degrees. Note that wind swell is increasing along the coast with 8-10 second periods from 310.
In SoCal, wave heights have been running waist to chest high + at most south facing breaks. West facing breaks have been chest to shoulder high.
Northern California and the Central Coast have been seeing head high surf at most west facing breaks, a foot or two overhead at standouts. South facing breaks have been running waist to chest.
The tide is starting to behave. Our next noticeable tidal swing will occur by the middle of next week as we approach a New Moon on the 22nd.
Water temperatures are averaging 70 degrees in San Diego, 67 in Orange County, 66 in LA, 62 in Ventura County, 62 in Santa Barbara, 57 along the central coast, and 56 degrees in NCal.
Winds as of 6 this evening were expectedly onshore, howling to 21 mph in NCal, yet only 8-12 mph in SoCal and along the Central Coast. A cold and beefy trough will dig its heels into the coast tonight, becoming fully entrenched by Friday. This will temporarily shift winds to…[more]
SW drops as NW wind swell increases…[more]
Friday sees south swell too…[more]
Offshore event develops this weekend…[more]
Sizeable SW swell on tap early next week…[more]
New State of our Surf Report…[more]