THE Surf Report- Early Edition

Just chillin'.

SURF:
Spring is hear and the waves are not.

Had some solid NW swell earlier this week and since then it's been dropping. Weather has been cool and partly sunny and that's about it.

Look for NW windswell tomorrow with a mix of SW groundswell. Nothing big but we'll have a combo of chest high sets. That should last through Sunday. Water temps are a warm (for early spring) 64 degrees.

Tides the next few days are about 0' at sunrise, 3' at lunch, and down to 2' at sunset. Make sure to keep up to date on the waves/weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

After a small but fun weekend, it's looking tiny for Monday and Tuesday.Charts are showing some NW windswell taking shape for the middle of next week. Look for head high sets going into Thursday. The southern hemisphere unfortunately can't get it's act together just yet.

WEATHER:

Weak low pressure is spinning off central California tonight and it's kicking up our low clouds down here. Look for cloudy skies in the mornings and partly sunny skies in the afternoons this weekend. Weak high pressure sets up for early next week for mostly sunny skies and temps in the high 60's at the beaches. Models are showing low pressure trying to approach southern California the middle of next week and maybe, just maybe, we'll get some showers.

BEST BET:
Not sure- semi clean but small waves this weekend or bigger waves the middle of next week but maybe some showers.
 
NEWS OF THE WEEK:

 
If you read last week’s THE Surf Report, you’ll remember that sea surface temperatures at the equator are warmer than normal right now and as a result we’re on an El Nino watch for the fall. But what about the short term? What’s this spring and summer shaping up to be? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they released their Spring Outlook today; drought is expected to continue in California and the Southwest.  That big storm a few weeks ago seems like eons ago. The east coast looks like they’re due for some flooding because of their above-average snowpack, frozen ground and thick ice coverage on streams and rivers- but out here we’re high and dry. The report says significant and widespread drought conditions will continue in California which experienced its warmest and third driest winter on record. Drought is expected to persist or intensify in California, Nevada, most of interior Oregon and Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, southeast Colorado, western Oklahoma, and most of west Texas because of below-average rain or snow this winter and the onset of the dry season in April.  If the drought persists as predicted in the West and Southwest, it will likely result in an active wildfire season, continued stress on crops and livestock due to low water levels, and an expansion of water conservation measures.  Below-normal temperatures this spring are favored for an area from Montana eastward across the northern Plains to the Great Lakes region, while warmer-than-normal temperatures are most likely for western sections of Washington and Oregon, California, the desert Southwest, the southern Plains, the Southeast and all of Alaska. For precipitation, odds favor drier-than-normal conditions for the Alaska panhandle, western Washington and Oregon, California and parts of Nevada and Arizona. Hawaii is favored to be both warmer and wetter than normal this spring. As far as our water temperatures go, there is no official forecast but I can tell you our average is around 60 degrees in San Diego this time of year and current buoy readings are between 63-64; waaaay above our average. And with the spring forecast calling for a lack of storms which would create upwelling and a drop in our water temperatures, we should stay above average heading into summer- meaning trunks may be the call about a month early. AND with the El Nino brewing below, water temps this summer may be waaaay above average- which would help hurricane formation and it would be great to wear trunks a little longer this season. And finally, the warmer air and water temps may help keep the fog at bay this summer. That’s all speculation of course but things are trending in the right direction for a good summer surf season.

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Just think if you were a bird and all the cool line ups you'd see. Couldn't surf of course- unless you're a pelican and then you could glide over the crest of waves. Or you could be a duck and duck dive. Or maybe a seagull just sitting in the line up. Anyway, close but no cigar. But it still would be cool to be a bird to fly above all those line ups. 

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn
Stalwart
Built the Perfect Bracket
Singing In A GANGajang Tribute Band