It’s go time.
SURF:
FORECAST:
The NW builds to head high+ the early part of the week while the SW will be gone. Unfortunately we have some weather coming our way (more on that below) so the building NW will be blown and junky Monday/Tuesday. We get cleaner conditions mid-week but smaller NW too.
Models show more NW arriving on our shores next Friday and hopefully a little SW towards 12/20. No complaints- can’t be any worse than it has been lately.
WEATHER:
The weather has been amazing this past week, if you don’t mind some frost on the lawn in the wee hours of the morning. The wind has also been minimal which has been great for surfing conditions if there was um, any surf to ride that is. Looks like we have great cold weather again today then the tail end of a weak cold front moves through central California this evening with coastal low clouds returning by Saturday evening through Sunday. Models show a couple storms trying to take aim at southern California and we should be back to wet and windy winter type weather for Monday. Models show a 2nd storm trying to gather up some steam and roll through Tuesday but it’s a 50/50 chance right now. By mid-week we clear out for nice cool sunny weather. Models then again show another storm towards Friday but a lot could change by then. Long story short, look for up to ¾” rain the 1st half of next week and maybe more towards next weekend.
BEST BET:
Sunday looks to be the day with new NW swell in the water and fun SW swell. It should also be the last clean day before the rain comes through early in the week. NEWS OF THE WEEK:
With climate change due to global warming now upon us, a couple side effects to our rampant greenhouse gases are changing microclimates (i.e. what was once a mild climate is now a desert) and melting glaciers. With the melting glaciers comes rising sea levels and it’s been discussed for years in scientific journals, television news, etc. that low lying tropical islands will soon disappear. But what if you live on a low lying island that’s NOT in the tropics. Let’s say, um, Balboa Island in Newport Beach? Well, global warming doesn’t care where you’re from and as long as you’re low- you’re gettin’ swamped. The L.A. Times reported this week that low lying Balboa Island has started to see more flooding in recent years as the glaciers melt and the sea level rises- and Newport Beach better do something quick. The island, 4 to 8 feet above sea level, would be inundated by a projected 4-foot rise in sea level by 2100. Already, the city's islands flood during extreme high tides. Crews pumped water from streets last winter after an 8-foot tide, coupled with storm surges, breached the seawalls. Officials want to extend the walls to 10 feet from 9 feet above the average sea level, to brace for an expected 1-foot water-level rise by 2050. On Balboa Island, that could mean replacing the 1930s-era concrete barriers with steel ones or extending the current structures at a cost of $60 million dollars. Most of the city's seawalls have begun to show "widespread cracking," a public works report says. Each new seawall would be engineered to accept a 4-foot extension, in anticipation of the 2100 scenario. Officials are focusing now on Balboa Island because its walls are the oldest and publicly owned. A citywide project could require property owners to replace private seawalls — a daunting proposal that hasn't been vetted for funding or feasibility. Another idea is to require ground floors to be built at the 10-foot tide level. Though Newport Beach hasn't projected property loss from extreme floods, a study commissioned by the California Department of Boating and Waterways found that rising sea levels could cost beach cities hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tourism and tax revenue. To fund the fortifications, officials have identified a few federal and state grants. But they say money also would have to come from other sources, such as city funds and homeowner assessments. At some point, the property owners are going to have to kick in. That might be a challenge, especially for homeowners like Donna DiBari, whose home hasn't flooded recently. In 1985, her first year on Balboa Island, DiBari saw extensive flooding, but her seawall hasn't been breached much since then. "If we felt it — if the water kept going into my garage — then I'd be afraid," she said. Fear isn't motivating Webb. He says the seawalls have to be replaced anyway, so the city is using the latest science to choose a height. "We're trying to do some advance work here," Webb said. "We don't want to wait until we have a problem." For more on the story, check out the L.A. Times. BEST OF THE BLOG:
With Christmas almost here, you better be caught up on all your shopping. If not, the North County Surf blog has got some ideas to empty your wallet. Or if the holidays are too stressful, sit back and watch the pros get stressed at the Pipe Masters this week. And of course get your mid-week Surf Check in and a more detailed THE Surf Report. All of that and more in the blog below!
PIC OF THE WEEK:
I always love it when I come across obscure surf pics. Like this grainy photo of some roping ½ mile long lefts. All I can tell is that it looks cold, it’s empty, and my legs would give out about half way through the ride. They say every picture is worth a thousand words. Except this one which doesn’t give it’s location.
Keep Surfing,
Michael W. Glenn
Head of the HouseholdDrone
Last In First Out
