Blessing or a curse?
SURF:
Crazy Santa Ana winds this week were met by small S swell in SD county and fun surf for the OC. The older I get though, the more leery I am of Santa Ana winds due to the fire threat. Glad they're over!
In regards to the small S swell, it's backing off tomorrow but as it does, more NW swell is filling in tonight. For Friday, look for chest high sets with shoulder high waves in SD.
Saturday things start to wind down and by late Sunday we get another little boost from the WNW for waist to chest high surf and slightly bigger waves in SD. All in all a couple small swells this weekend.
Water temps are still mid-60's and tides this weekend are around 5' at sunrise, down to 2' at lunch, and back up to 4' at sunset.
FORECAST:
The WNW mentioned above for late Sunday will peak Monday with chest high sets.
After that it goes quiet for most of the week.
Charts show a small storm dropping from the Aleutians mid-week and it could give us shoulder high W swell around Black Friday- and maybe a shot at rain? So if we do get surf, it may be junky next weekend. Make sure to keep track of the waves and weather at Twitter/North County Surf.
WEATHER:
Looks like the Santa Ana winds are done for the time being and our clouds will start to thicken during the week. Look for the low clouds to return this weekend, temps near 70, and manageable winds. The storm track is finally starting to lower according to the forecast charts and we may get a shot of some beneficial rains the 2nd half of next week. Thanksgiving may be the earliest we get showers but more likely Friday/Saturday if the charts hold true. Onshore winds will also start to pick up so choose your sessions wisely next weekend.
BEST BET:
Tomorrow with a little bit of SW/NW and fairly clean conditions.
NEWS OF THE WEEK:
As a kid I used to love Santa Ana Winds. Sunny skies, warm air temperatures, and the offshore winds groomed the surf into perfection. But as I got older and started to study waves and weather, my opinion began to change. Waves of course are made by wind and on the flip side, waves are also destroyed by wind. With offshore winds, it's energy pushing against the surf generated by winds faraway. Another negative to Santa Ana type offshore winds is that they're created by high pressure anchored over Nevada which effectively blocks storms from getting close to us- stunting storm growth in the Pacific and pushing the much needed rain into the Pacific Northwest. But there are also beneficial offshore winds besides Santa Ana's. Like early in the morning around sunrise or after the passing of a cold front when it rained. Why are these good? Because they're short lived and moisture in our atmosphere is associated with them. Morning offshores are replaced by a moist sea breeze mid-morning. Or when a cold front moves through, it sometimes is preceded by wetting rains. The BAD offshores though- our Santa Ana winds- there is no moisture involved. Hence the nickname 'Devil Winds'. The Santa Ana's blow for days, off our dry land, and the sea breeze- if any- never materialize. But what exactly is the source of our Santa Ana winds and how do they form? Here's a quick guide with help from the L.A. Times:
Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry down-slope winds in Southern California and northern Baja California. They originate inland in desert regions and occur mainly in the fall, but can arise during other seasons. Most Santa Ana wind events are caused by high pressure in the Great Basin (i.e. central Nevada) and lower pressure off the coast. Air from areas of high pressure flow clockwise toward those of lower pressure, and the gradient, or difference, causes the intense winds. Air from areas of high pressure (over high ground inland) flows down toward sea level in Southern California. The sinking air heats up, loses moisture and speeds up, especially as it squeezes through canyons. This lowers relative humidity, dries out vegetation, and can fan any existing fires. Mountain ranges block winds in some areas while winds howl elsewhere. Winds seek openings through the mountains, much like water would. Canyons and passes provide narrow openings that accelerate the winds like a nozzle on a garden hose does to water, otherwise knows as the Venturi Effect. This accelerates the winds and can approach speeds of 60 MPH+; similar speeds to a tropical storm. We actually had a wind gust of 86 MPH on Tuesday at Sill Hill in the San Diego mountains.
PIC OF THE WEEK:
Exhibit A: This is why people travel to find surf.
Keep Surfing,
Michael W. Glenn
King of My Castle
Thinking of Playing Overseas
Deciding if I Should Wear My Baggies, Boardshorts, Trunks, Boardies, or Swimsuit
