THE Surf Report

Soothsayer.

SURF:

Don’t you hate it when you can predict the future? Like when I guessed those lottery numbers in 2013 and won 28.7 million. Or that time I said the Giants were going win the Super Bowl against the undefeated Patriots. Or this past fall when I predicted La Nina would shut down our storms and we’d have a lack of rain and surf this winter. Man I wish I was wrong once in a awhile. Our dry spell can’t last forever, right? So let’s make some lemonade out of this weekend’s lemons: We’ve got a cold front moving through this afternoon that will make a mess out of in impending S/NW mix.

The small S arriving on our shores this weekend will get battered by the winds from our storm tonight- so pretty much write that swell off.

We do have NW windswell/groundswell building on Saturday- but the storm mentioned above will make a mess of it too. So pretty much write that off. But SUNDAY on the other hand… should have clean weather and leftover chest high S/NW. Time to put the 5’4” away and break out the 5’10”!

Water temps are high 50’s and tides this weekend are 2’ at sunrise, up to 5’ mid-morning, and down to 0’ at sunset. Make sure to keep up to date on the waves and weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

I had high hopes for a storm off Antarctica last week but it: A) Never turned into the growling beast I was hoping for and B) It moved in a E/W direction and not N towards us. Regardless, we should have some chest high sets in far N county SD/OC Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

Also arriving on Tuesday is some southern hemi surf from a storm a few days ago. Nothing big- again- but we should have chest high sets in SD on Tuesday. After that we just have background NW/S the rest of the week for waist high+ surf then maybe more NW/SW next weekend. But still no big swells and my brand new step-up waits patiently in the garage…

WEATHER:

Wet weather has returned to California today with San Diego about to receive some drops after lunch. Not a big storm- maybe 1/4” when it’s said and done (a little less than the storm we had earlier this week) and your typical 20 mph+ winds from the SW late Friday then turning NW on Saturday. Sunday things clean up and the rest of the work week looks sunny and mild with temperatures in the mid-60’s. Late next week low clouds and cooling should return.

BEST BET:
Sunday with leftover surf and clean(er) conditions or next Tuesday with small but fun S/NW combo and definitely clean conditions.

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Seems like we’re in the middle of a wet period right now. Or are we? We all know we’re on the verge of a drought again (thanks for nuthin’ La Nina) and we may have water restrictions this summer if we don’t get a deluge soon. But did the storm earlier this week and the one headed our way this weekend going to make a difference? Let’s look at the facts:
• Newport Beach: 1.43” of rain so far this season (14%) and we should be at 10.07”. And the total we’re aiming for this season is 15.71”
• Oceanside: 3.02” of rain so far this season (31%) and we should be at 9.74”. And the total we’re aiming for this seasons is 13.66”
• San Diego: 2.23” of rain so far this season (30%) and we should be at 10.34”. And the total we’re aiming for this season is 11.62”

We have 3 weeks left of winter and April historically gives us around 1” of rain in a non-La Nina year. So my best guess is that we’ll get just 2 more inches of rain between now and the end of April. When it’s all said and done, that would leave:
• Newport around 3.50” (23% of normal)
• Oceanside at 5” (37% of normal)
• San Diego at 4.5” (39% of normal).
Just looking at San Diego climatological data, the 4.5” of rain would make it the 3rd driest year since at least 1965. Not good.

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Can you name the 3 things wrong with this picture? Give up? Here’s your answers:
1. No one’s out.
2. There’s parking.
3. There’s actually surf! I don’t know when the last time I saw a 6’ wave around here.

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn
Grandiose
Not Sure What To Wear To The Oscars
More Of A Tube Than A Barrel Guy