THE Surf Report

Well, Well, Well, Look What The Cat Dragged In...

SURF:

It's about time, wouldn't you agree? Looks like our flat spell (and sunny skies) are going away for the near future and bigger surf- and stormier conditions- will prevail. First up is the cold front rolling through So-Cal today. 

Lots of mixed up head high storm surf will peak tonight and drop steadily through tomorrow. 

There's also a small S building underneath- but that will be blown to bits from the storm tonight. Then we're back to waist high NW waves Saturday/Sunday (and a touch of small, fading S). And here's the tides, sun, and water temps for the next few days:

• Sunrise and sunset:
• 6:41 AM sunrise
• 4:43 PM sunset

• Water temps are holding in the low 60's

• And tides have mellowed out since last weekend:
• 4' at breakfast
• 2' late morning
• back up to 3.5' late afternoon

FORECAST:

The calm of the weekend should be replaced by a legitimate winter storm Monday afternoon through Tuesday. 

As it arrives, jumbled surf will build and we'll have well overhead messy conditions on Tuesday. Wednesday may be cleaner- with smaller NW surf- but the water will be DIRTY. 

By Friday though, we may see a smaller, cleaner NW swell in the chest high range- but I'm not sure on the water quality by then. 

WEATHER:

Oh boy, where do I start. How about 'When it rains it pours?' (Too easy). Maybe 'Feast or famine?' Or 'It's all or nothing'??? What I'm trying to say is, we had good rains in October, none in November, and now a big storm on the horizon. But let's talk about today though: A weak cold front is moving through our region this evening and we should end up with 1/4" of rain along the the coast. The weekend looks to be sunny and cool. And then... (drum roll please)... Southern California gets in on the Atmospheric River Party. After Nor Cal got hammered in October, then British Columbia last month, our part of the world is finally going to get drenched. Models are showing rain/wind starting later Monday into Tuesday. Early estimates should be at least 1" along the coast. After that, we should have clear cool conditions mid-week, then another weak storm may appear next weekend. If anything changes between now and then, make sure to follow North County Surf on Twitter!

BEST BET:

Tomorrow with leftover NW windswell or next weekend once the water isn't as polluted from Tuesday's storm...

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

If the warming Earth hasn't cause enough problems (heat waves, lack of snowfall, extreme storms, etc), now it's messing with our ocean currents. A recent story from the Washington Post shed light on the matter:

Earth’s ocean currents are known as the “global conveyor belt” — a planet-wide system that moves warm water north and cool water south. Now, the strongest current of all is speeding up — and humans are to blame. That’s the conclusion of a study in the journal Nature Climate Change that finds “robust acceleration” in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC).

The current, which circulates around Antarctica, is the planet’s strongest, and the only one that isn’t blocked by any land masses. The huge, circular current takes water clockwise around the globe, pushing more water than any other current and keeping Antarctica, which it encircles, cold.

Scientists used decades’ worth of data for the study, including satellite data on the height of the sea surface and information collected by Argo, an international fleet of robotic instruments that float all over the world’s oceans.

Though the current is mostly driven by wind, the researchers found that the acceleration is largely because of changes in the oceans’ heat. When the difference between temperatures between hot and cold waters increases, the currents that border them speed up.

That's what's happening to the ACC, and the researchers say human-caused global warming is to blame. The region absorbs much of the heat that human activity pumps into the atmosphere. As the planet continues to warm, the researchers expect the trent to continue. 

While scientists are still working to understand the consequences of accelerating currents, they believe the faster circulation will change the way heat is distributed in the world's oceans and affect marine life in areas that receive warmer waters. 

Earlier this year, researchers found that the current sped up in the past too- between 115,000 and 130,000 years ago during the last interglacial period. That acceleration may have caused everything from weather changes to a decline in the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Their work was published in the journal Nature Communications.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

Wanted to say thanks to everyone that signed up for the North County Board Meeting's 5th annual holiday party next week. And if you haven't RSVP'd yet- we only have a couple spots left! If you'd like to see good friends, eat good food, and help a good cause, hit me up at northcountyboardmeeting@gmail.com by TOMORROW (Friday the 10th) to reserve your spot. Priority Public House has graciously opened their doors for us on Wednesday, December 15th at 5pm for appetizers, dinner, music, a live auction, and a bunch of surf talk. Presented by Venture LLP, part of the proceeds will help support local charities this holiday season. 

Tickets are $50 per person and appetizers and dinner are included. Make sure to dress warm as we'll be eating under their outdoor tent. And yes, we will have heaters for the night's festivities. Thanks again for your support and we'll see you on the15th!  

PIC OF THE WEEK:

What looks like more work- outracing these locomotives are trying to paddle out over that shallow reef?

Keep Surfing, 
Michael W. Glenn
Guide
Training To Be A Pro Wrestler
Got An Invite To The Eddie! (Anyone Have A 9'0" Rhino Chaser I Can Borrow)?