THE Surf Report

Shake and bake.

SURF:
Surf was small this past week but fortunately started to fill in from a couple of NW and SW groundswells late Wednesday night. At the same time high pressure started to build and help limit our low clouds/fog.

Today we have peaking SW groundswell and the NW is lingering. We still have shoulder high sets towards the OC and it's a little peakier than it has been. Looks like tomorrow the SW hangs around for chest high waves and then slowly drops on Sunday. If the weather cooperates, we should have a fun weekend of surf. And the continuing 70 degree water temps don't hurt either. On a side note, with all the warm water, the jellyfish have returned to our shores so beware the purple blobs as your sitting in the line up this weekend.

Tides the next few days are 2' at sunrise, down to 0' at 8am, up to 5' at 3pm, and down to 2' at sunset.  Make sure to keep up to date on the waves/weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

After the SW fades this weekend, it's looking pretty small next week as we don't have any real swell producing storms to speak of. Charts show some waist high NW windswell maybe towards next weekend- but that's feeble!

We do though have a small but strong storm on the charts forming Sunday but that wouldn't give us surf until next weekend too. So until then, enjoy the nice weather.

WEATHER:

This time of year at the coast is frustrating. I know, I know, 'May Gray' and 'June Gloom' is a fact of life around here- as it bakes inland, we get stuck with stubborn low clouds at the coast. Basically high pressure is pressing down on the atmosphere and it's trapping our low clouds along the beaches. We have been getting some clearing at the beaches the past few days but it's been late in the day. That's why I love August and September around here- you wake up in the morning to sunny skies and tropical clouds overhead. Anyway... as our local deserts hit 120 this weekend, we'll have 75 degrees at the beaches and night and morning low clouds. Nothing to ruin a good beach day but still pesky nonetheless. Models do though show a chance of the clouds breaking up early tomorrow, then they come back in full force towards Monday and through next week. Nothing out of the ordinary- just typical summer around here. I'm hoping though the sun comes out for the 4th of July this year though- last year at the beach was awful!

BEST BET:
Today is the day with the peaking SW swell and some sunshine at the beaches later. OR... if that little storm forms in the southern hemisphere on Sunday and that forecasted small NW develops next week- Saturday the 6th could be fun.

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Enough of my ranting about the low clouds at the beach today- what about those extremely hot temperatures at the deserts this weekend? Haven't heard? Just over the hill from us at Palm Desert, the high on Sunday is forecasted to be 120 degrees. Now that's hot. Like Death Valley hot. As mentioned above in the weather forecast, we have a strong ridge of high pressure building through Saturday in our western states. Where did the high come from? Glad you asked. We had an unusually strong storm for June roll through the northwest last week and record rainfall for the month was recorded- like 5" just north of the Napa area and 1/2" near San Francisco. And with such a strong storm rolling through- behind it your likely to have strong high pressure which we're experiencing this weekend. As mentioned above, Palm Desert is forecasted to hit 120 this weekend. But that's nothing: the little outpost known as Furnace Creek in Death Valley is forecasted to hit 129 degrees on Sunday and Monday. Yes- 1 degree shy of 130. Even if you're not a weather geek like me, you have to admit that's impressive. What's even more impressive, the low temp at Furnace Creek on Monday is only 100 degrees. Amazing to think the temp won't drop below 100 degrees on Monday- even in the dead of the morning. And in case you're wondering, the highest temp ever recorded for Death Valley was 134 degrees on July 10th, 1913- unofficially the highest temperature ever recorded on our planet. I don't think we'll hit that this weekend- but it's going to be close. So after our hot weekend, what's the next few months look like around here?

In the short term, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above normal monsoon activity in the southwestern states this next month. Meaning: more 'tropical' clouds overhead for us and thunderstorms in the desert.

In the long term (i.e. 1-3 months) NOAA is also predicting above normal temperatures for the southwest.

Even with the forecast of increased temps through the summer, the drought situation may improve slightly in the southwest due to the increased monsoon activity. Basically the deserts are going to shake and bake the next few months from the heat and thunderstorms.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

We've had a recent explosion of restaurants the past couple of years in Encinitas- from Union to Chic-Fil-A to Haggo's to Buffalo Wild Wings to Solterra and everything in-between (like the Bier Garden, Regal Seagull, Café Ipe, etc). Next up to the plate is Priority Public House where the priority is atmosphere and food. Make sure to check the full story on the North County Surf blog and check it out this weekend- plus the mid-week Surf Check AND an in-depth THE Surf Report. All of that and more in the blog below!

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Look at that juicy peak just waiting for you to pull in and grin. Like stealing candy from a baby. Not that I'd steal candy from a baby but this is pretty tempting. Ok, just once maybe. C'mon! Look how filthy that wedge is!

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn
Confidant
3rd Place, 1997 Badwater Ultramarathon
Arrested Once for Shooting the Curl