Tuesday, March 27, 2007 | Today we have some messy, blown-out surf along the California coast that’ll be increasing throughout the day into Wednesday. Conditions clean up later this week, just in time for next week’s southern hemi swells that’ll start hitting the coast this Sunday. It looks like we’ll still see some NW ground swell in the mix next week as well.
Right now, the California Buoy is checking in at 14 feet with 11-second periods, double the height of what it was just 10 hours ago, signaling the NW that’ll be building today, peaking tomorrow. Closer to the coast, the Half Moon Bay buoy is still hovering around 6 feet with 10-second periods, and the Cape San Martin buoy is at 4 feet with 10-second periods.
Overall, the swell energy in the water shows NW periods averaging 10 seconds from 310, and SW periods running 11 seconds from 195. There’s a ton of other flavors of wind swell out there as well though, coming in from 260-300 — very messy indeed.
In SoCal, wave heights are running waist high most everywhere and blown out. Size will be increasing throughout the day, but conditions are not looking to get any better.
Northern California and the Central Coast are seeing chest to head high sets at most west facing breaks, chest high at south facing spots. Size will be increasing throughout the day, reaching DOH by this evening around west facing spots.
Please note that as the NW swell builds today into Wednesday it will have some consistency to it, and as a result there is a risk of riptides, especially at direct west facing beach breaks, and especially during the outgoing tides over the next 48 hours. Alongshore currents are also a concern. The NWS has issued a riptide warning through Wednesday as well. Caution is advised.
Since most areas have seen rain over the past few hours, we are facing the possibility of increased bacteria levels from runoff. As a reminder, there is a risk of increased bacteria levels through a period of at least 72-hours following the end of any measurable rain event. Water contact should be avoided during this period, especially within 100 yards of drainpipes, creek outlets, river mouths, etc.
The tide is looking fairly manageable this week into next. We’ll be seeing early morning highs nearing 5 feet over the next few days, but even with a Full Moon headed…[more]
Water temperatures are averaging 58 degrees in San Diego, 58 in Orange County, 57 in LA, 57 in Ventura County, 58 in Santa Barbara, 54 along the Central Coast and 52 degrees in NCal.
Winds as of 7:00 this morning were nasty, averaging 10+ most everywhere with gusts to 25. The rest of the day doesn’t look any better. Wednesday will…[more]
NW builds today, peaks Wednesday, but foul…[more]
Southern hemi swells begin hitting the coast Sunday…[more]
Bigger SW by Wednesday…[more]
Tracking NW for next week as well…[more]