Thursday, May 31, 2007 | Today we’ve had diminishing southern hemi SW swell mixing with a variety of west, NW and SW wind swell. Southern hemi SW ground swell picks up Friday into Saturday as wind issues and wind swell continue. Stronger wind swell is on the charts for next week. We’re also keeping an eye on two systems in the tropics, neither of which is surf-worthy, but important to note for anyone traveling to Southeastern Mexico.
Right now, the California Buoy is checking in at 7 feet with 11-second periods. Closer to the coast, the Half Moon Bay buoy is at 3 feet with 14-second periods and the Cape San Martin buoy is at 3 feet with 15-second periods.
Overall, SW ground swell periods are averaging 13 seconds from 185 degrees. Wind swell though is coming in from 230-275 with 9- to 11-second periods
In SoCal, wave heights are running chest high at most south facing breaks but infrequent, oftentimes peaky, and chewed up in some spots, especially north of OC. West facing breaks are running waist high, bigger though at dual exposure spots
Northern California and the Central Coast are seeing sets chest high most everywhere, but very peaky from all the wind swell in the water.
The tide is becoming an issue, and we will be seeing a radical tidal swing during early AM sessions due to a Full Moon that’ll peak this evening. This spring tide’s lows will shut down (or slow down) many spots during the low tide hours for the next few days, especially the reefs and points. Click here for tide tables.
Water temperatures are averaging 64 degrees in San Diego, 64 in Orange County, 62 in LA, 59 in Ventura County, 57 in Santa Barbara, 54 along the Central Coast and 50 degrees in NCal.
Winds will be a bit tricky over the next few days, inextricably linked to wind swell issues as well. As of noon today, winds in SoCal were onshore from 8-13 mph, mainly from the SW thanks in large part to a lobe of low pressure swirling near the coastline (also whipping up some of that SW wind swell). The Central and Northern coasts were seeing NW winds 15+. Winds are expected to increase to 15-20 mph by mid afternoon in many locations. On Friday, when the new Southern Hemi swell starts to fill in, that surface low sitting near the coast will…[more]
Sizable SW Friday into Saturday…[more]
More wind swell coming at us though…[more]
Wind swell to increase more next week…[more]
Light SW late next week…[more]
New State of our Surf Report…[more]