Westerly Swell Later This Week

Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007 | Today our new WNW swell is starting to fill in along the coast as rain looms offshore. Weather is looking to clear during the second half of the week when some significantly sized westerly swell comes ashore.

Right now, the California Buoy is checking in at 9 feet with ground-swell-long, 14-second periods. Closer to the coast, forerunners are apparent with the Half Moon Bay buoy at 7 feet with lengthy 17-second periods, and the Cape San Martin buoy at 7 feet with 16-second periods.

Overall, the swell energy in the water shows NW periods averaging 17 seconds from 275 degrees.

Please note that as with all long-period swells, there will be variation in size between breaks of varying bathymetry and westerly exposure. Surf spots that have steeper bathymetry that shoal well and refract the WNW swell energy ideally—especially those with excellent westerly exposure—will see bigger sets than the slower sloped, longboard-type breaks (particularly those with minimal westerly exposure and spots affected by island blockage).

In SoCal, wave heights are running waist to chest high at most west facing breaks with occasional pluses towards head high at standouts. South facing breaks are running waist high, bigger at dual exposure spots. Note that due to the angle of the incoming swell today, the OC region is being sheltered from island blockage.

Northern California and the Central Coast are seeing sets running head high to a few feet overhead at most west-facing breaks. South facing breaks are running chest to at times head high.

The tide will be an issue this week as we enter a tidal swing due to a Full Moon this Friday. This spring tide will bring early morning highs above 6 feet, slowing things down near…[more]

Water temperatures are averaging 58 degrees in San Diego, 58 in Orange County, 58 in LA, 56 in Ventura County, 57 in Santa Barbara, 54 along the Central Coast, and 52 degrees in NCal.

Winds as of 7:00 this morning were light and variable most everywhere with the exception of some problematic ESE winds around Ventura County. The cut-off low that’s causing weather issues could bring some ESE winds this afternoon to many areas, a trend that will likely continue through…[more]

NW increases a bit Monday…[more]

Weather an issue through first part of the week…[more]

Tracking substantial WNW for end of week, but watching winds and weather closely…[more]