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Pacific Storm and Surf Forecast
Updated: May 13, 2008 8:53 PM
Buoys: Northern CA - Southern CA - Hawaii - Gulf of Alaska - Pacific Northwest
Buoy Forecast:
Northern CA - Southern CA - Hawaii - Gulf of Alaska - Pacific Northwest
Pacific Links:  Atmospheric Models - Buoy Data - Current Weather - Wave Models
Forecast Archives: Enter Here
A chronology of recent Mavericks Underground forecasts. Once you enter, just click on the HTML file forecast you want to review (e.g. 073199.html equals July 31, 1999). To view the maps that correspond to that forecast date, select the html file labeled 073199 maps.html
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Swell Potential Rating = 2.5 - California & 2.5 - Hawaii
Using the 'Winter' Scale
(See Swell Category Table link at bottom of page)
Probability for presence of largest swells in near-shore waters of NCal, SCal or Hawaii.    
Issued for Week of Monday 5/12 thru Sun 5/18
Swell Potential Rating Categories
5 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Significant swell
4 = Good probability for 1-2 days of Significant swell
3 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Intermediate/Advanced swell
2 = Good probability for  1-2 days of
Intermediate/Advanced swell
1 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Impulse or Windswell
0 = Low probability for 1-2 days of Impulse or Windswell   

Late Season Gale Forms in Gulf of Alaska
South Pacific Sleeps

 

New Swell Classification Guidelines

Significant: Swell 8 ft @ 14 secs or greater (11+ ft faces) for 8+ hours (greater than double overhead)
Advanced: Swell and period combination capable of generating faces 1.5 times overhead to double overhead (7-10 ft)
Intermediate: Swell and period combination generating faces at head high to 1.5 times overhead (4-7 ft)
Impulse/Windswell: Swell and period combination generating faces up to head high (1-4 ft) or anything with a period less than 11 secs.

PACIFIC OVERVIEW

On Tuesday (5/13) Northern CA surf was head high to 1 ft overhead and bumpy with fog obscuring the view. South facing breaks in Santa Cruz were thigh high and clean. Central California surf (Morro Bay) was chest high with head high sets and reasonably clean mid-day. Surf in Southern CA from Santa Barbara to just north of LA was waist high with brisk northwest winds on it by mid-day. The LA Area southward to Orange County was waist high with maybe a few chest high sets and windblown. South Orange County down into San Diego best breaks were waist high and clean early, though most blown out. The North Shore of Oahu was flat and clean. The South Shore was flat. The East Shore was thigh high.

North/Central California continued seeing locally generated short period sloppy windswell and mostly poor conditions. Southern California was getting wrap-around energy from this same windswell but with only a fraction of the size. Hawaii's North Shore was getting now swell. The East Shore had some bare minimum tradewind generated windswell. The South Shore had no swell.

For the next few days the North and Central California coasts to continue seeing locally generated windswell due to north winds locked over Cape Mendocino. Fortunately local winds to be gone by Thursday with light offshore's in control. Southern CA to continue seeing next to no surf other than minimal north windswell making it into exposed breaks. The North Shore of Oahu to not see any surf until Thursday when swell from a gale north of the ISlands is supposed to arrive. The South Shore to remain quiet. No windswell expected on the East Shore either. The southern hemi to remain quiet for the next 7 days. All eyes are on a gale that's starting to circulate north of Hawaii on Tuesday, expected to peak out early Wednesday morning. Seas to 30 ft are forecast aimed east towards California with lesser energy towards Hawaii. Either way, if this occurs some decent swell is expected to push into the Islands Thursday and into exposed break in California by Friday. A taste of winter in the early-summer. Make the most of it. See details below...

 

SHORT- TERM FORECAST
Current marine weather and wave analysis.cgius forecast conditions for the next 72 hours

North Pacific

Overview
Tuesdays jetstream charts (5/13) for the North Pacific remained surprisingly positive for the time of the year. Most energy was flowing west to east on the 45N latitude with winds 120 kts or greater over it's width. A nice trough was set up just west of the dateline with 170-180 kts winds flowing under it and very supportive of surface level gale development. Over the next 72 hours that trough is to hold and slide a little east, then stall north of Hawaii while a big ridge builds builds over the Us West Coast. Winds to persist in the 170 kt range over the dateline feeding into the trough too. Good support for surface level low pressure development. Beyond 72 hours the trough is unbelievably to hold if not get deeper early next week, though most energy is to be on it's east side flowing up into a growing ridge re-building over the US West Coast. Maybe some more hope for low pressure development here, but not as favorable as right now.

At the surface today high pressure at 1024 mbs was centered 600 nmiles west of Pt Conception forming a pressure gradient from Cape Mendocino southward and generating 25 kt north winds and local short period windswell along exposed breaks of Central CA. Of far more interest was a gale in the Western Gulf of Alaska or 1200 nmiles north of Hawaii (see details below). The remnants of Typhoon Rammasun were tracking east off Japan and poorly organized and no longer tropical in nature, offering no potential. A gale that was in the northern Gulf on Sunday (5/11) pushed east through Monday with a decent fetch of 35 kt west winds and generated 21 ft seas pushing limited 12-13 sec period swell towards North CA for Thursday (5/15) from 305 degrees, but it's to be buried in the more dominant locally generated windswell.

Over the next 72 hours the only system of interest is to be the gale in the Western Gulf. After that virtually no swell producing fetch of any kind is forecast over the North Pacific.

 

Gulf Gale
A gale formed 1200 nmiles north-northwest of Hawaii Monday evening (5/12) thanks to a favorable upper level trough above it with winds confirmed at 40-45 kts over a fragmented area near 38N 171W. On Tuesday AM (5/13) pressure was 972 mbs with confirmed 40-45 kt west winds at 40N 162w and a secondary fetch of near 50 kt winds at 43N 160W aimed to the northeast. 19 ft seas were building at 38N 168W aimed marginally at the Islands and better at the US west coast. Winds to be pushing near 50 kts in the evening with seas to 28 ft at 42N 155W aimed right up the 294 degree great circle path to North CA and bypassing the Islands. By Wednesday AM only 40-45 kts winds and 32 ft seas to be left aimed northeast towards Northern Canada though a tiny area of 25 ft seas are forecast at 44N 152W pushing east down the 296 degree path.

Assuming this occurs some form of 15-16 sec period swell should be pushing east towards the mainland with limited sideband energy pushing towards Hawaii. Possible swell of 6.3 ft @ 13 secs (8-9 ft faces) could impact Oahu Thursday afternoon (5/15) from 220 degrees. Swell of 6.0-6.5 ft @ 15 secs (9-10 ft faces) could be impacting North CA by Friday AM (5/16) from 290-295 degrees.

 

North Pacific Animations: Jetstream - Surface Pressure/Wind - Sea Height - Surf Height

 

California Nearshore Forecast
On Tuesday (5/13) high pressure at 1028 mbs was centered 600 nmiles west of Pt Conception ridging northeast into Oregon and generating 20-25 kt north winds from Cape Mendocino south to Pt Conception and making a bumpy mess of waters just off the coast, though a slight break in the wind was indicated nearshore. The fetch is to track north over Cape Mendocino Wednesday and rebuild to near 30 kts, generating more windswell, but also more chop locally. Fetch to hold into early Thursday but with the wind vector is to turn more offshore, with windswell starting to fade and local winds from Pt Conception northward dying or turning light offshore. Windswell continuing in the 7 ft @ 9 secs range (5-6 ft faces at exposed breaks), then starting to fading out on by Friday afternoon (5/16).

 

Tropics
On Sunday (5/11) Typhoon Rammasun was located 550 nmiles due south of southern Japan with sustained winds 105 kts while traveling just east of due north this is down from it's peak on Saturday AM of 135 kt winds (which held for 6 hours). Theoretically some form of tiny swell from this system could reach the US West coast up the 292 degree path 8-9 days out (Sun PM 5/18) with a period of 17 secs, but it will be so small and inconsistent as to not be noticeable.

No tropical systems of interest were occurring on Tuesday (5/13).

 

South Pacific

Overview
On Tuesday (5/13) the jetstream over the South Pacific remained .cgiit with almost no energy in the southern branch, and what there was was blowing over Antarctic Ice. A marginally stronger flow is forecast through the week in the southern brach, but again it is to be di.cgiaced well to the south offering no support for gale development.

At the surface no swell producing fetch was indicated. A weak cutoff low developed in the far southeast Pacific late Sunday and has held through Tuesday (5/13) near 32S 117W (well north of usual) generating a tiny fetch of 40-45 kts southerly winds holding while drifting to 32S 110W then up to 50 kts at 34S 106W Tuesday AM. Decent seas did not start being until generated until Tuesday AM. At that time they were 30 ft over a tiny area at 30S 108W on Tuesday and are expected to hold for 36 hrs positioned 3840 nmiles south of Southern CA. Assuming this occurs possible tiny very southerly angled swell to start pushing north towards Southern CA arriving 6 days later with period at 17 secs (late Mon 5/19).

Otherwise no swell producing fetch is forecast.

 

South Pacific Animations: Jetstream - Surface Pressure/Wind - Sea Height - Surf Height

 

QuikCAST's

 

LONG-TERM FORECAST
Marine weather and forecast conditions 3-10 days into the future

North Pacific

Beyond 72 hrs a weak pressure pattern is forecast until Monday (5/19) when a new low is forecast to start building over the dateline nestled in the trough forecast above it. Theoretically it's to bloom while tracking east-northeast with winds to 45 kts and seas 21 ft all aimed well to the east at California (bypassing Hawaii) and then to near 50 kts with seas to 35 kts but aimed towards Northern Canada while pushing into the Gulf of Alaska late Tuesday. Will believe it when it happens.

Madden-Julian Oscillation Note: The MJO has moved into the active phase with SOI values dropping into the negative range since early this month and anomalous 850 mb westerly winds moving over exposed waters of the Philippines to nearly the dateline (as of this week). This appears to have fueled a spat of tropical activity in the Far Western Pacific (Typhoon Rammasun) and is helping to push surface level moisture northward so it can be swept east by the jetstream in the upper latitudes, providing fuel for gale development over the dateline an into the Gulf of Alaska. That pattern is expected to peak out by late this week, then slowly dissipate through the week beyond.

 

South Pacific

No swell producing winds are forecast.

Details to follow...

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External Reference Material: El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), Kelvin Wave

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MAVERICKSSURF MAVFILM MAVSURFER SURFPULSE Inside Mavericks Randy Cone Surfboards

Local Interest

Time Zone Converter - Finally! By popular demand we've built and easy to use time convert that transposes GMT time to whatever time zone you are located. It's ion left hand column on every page on the site near the link to the swell calculator.

Mavericks Contest 2008: View all the action from the 2008 Maverick Surf Contest from Powelines Productions here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o5lj9CUpCc

Half Moon Bay Surfers - Attention: There¹s a movement afoot to dredge sand out of the Pillar Point (i.e. Half Moon Bay) Harbor and dump it just south of the jetty, so it will r.cgienish all sand that¹s disappeared between the harbor and HMB. The guy who¹s spearheading the project, Brian Overfelt, has already received a positive preliminary reading from the local harbor commissioners. He¹s making a formal presentation to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary¹s advisory council this coming Friday (2/15) at Our Lady of Pillar church in Half Moon Bay. (It's on Kelly Ave, just east of the Coast Highway, across the street from Cunha Intermediate School.) starting at 9 AM. More details here: http://www.stormsurf.com/page2/forecast/forecast/hmb_dredge.html

Need Chiropractic Help? Visit our friends at Darrow Chiropractic. Not only will Dr. Darrow fix you up, he might give you some big wave surfing tips too! See more here: http://www.darrowchiropractic.com/

Grib File Switchover: The old grib1 format wave model datafiles that have been the mainstay of the National Weather service for years now are scheduled to be retired on 1/26. We switched over to the new grib2 files starting with the 00z run of Thurs 1/17. All appears to be running fine. There is no functional change to the content of the models, just that files we receive are now smaller due to improved compression of grib2. But this sets us up to start processing new higher resolution files and building new products in the months ahead. So in all it's a good maintenance level change.

Sharkwater: There's a new feature film called Sharkwater that is hitting theaters November 2nd. Sharkwater is an award winning documentary (22 international film awards including the UN and Cannes) that broke box office records in Canada, opening to bigger numbers than any documentary in history save Fahrenheit 911 and Supersize Me. It is a conservation film that demonstrates that the biggest influence on the air we breathe, and global warming is life in the oceans – except life in the oceans is being wiped out. Shark populations have dropped 90% in the last 30 years alone, and the oceans continue to be destroyed because nobody knows that it's happening Learn more here: http://www.sharkwater.com

Bluewater Gold Rush: The first and only chronicle of the California sea urchin dive fishery. Diving, surfing, comedy, and tragedy on and under the waves of California. "A quintessential tale of California ... dramas of adventure and loss on and under the sea" We read it and it's a great story about the bloom of the urchin diving boom in the 70's and the few lucky souls who were right there when it took off. An easy read that's hard to put down. The trials and success of a 'real' California dream right down to it's core. Check it out here: http://www.bluewatergoldrush.com

Submit your story to 'Surfings Greatest Misadventures: Vol. 2': DEADLINE: January 15th, 2008 Casagrande Press is seeking stories, articles, and essays on the general subject of surfing misadventure for publication in Surfings Greatest Misadventures: Volume 2. We are looking for nonfiction, first-person surf stories of bad judgment calls, pranks, comical/ironic episodes, disaster, attacking predators, misfortune, injury, loss of wit or limb, panic, critical conditions, contest meltdowns, everyday fears, surf trips gone wrong or the out-of-water episodes that surround surfing. We are looking for well-written stories that tell a good tale, reflect a culture, and develop the depth of the characters involved. We also like stories that have a tight narrative tension and a payoff at the end. Open to writers and surfers of any level. There is no fee to submit a story. We will consider previously published stories. To see more info on the first book visit www.thesurfbook.com. Submit online at www.casagrandepress.com

Waveriders Gallery: Check out this collection of high quality artwork all related to waves and the ocean. Surf Paintings, Photography, Posters, Books, Boards and exhibits all produced by a variety of top artists provide a beautiful selection of pieces to chose from. Take and look and see some of the stunning work available from these artists. http://www.waveridersgallery.net/

Stormsurf Google Gadget - Want Stormsurf content on your Google Homepage? It's si.cgie and free. If you have Google set as your default Internet E.cgiorer Homepage, just click the link below and a buoy forecast will be added to your Google homepage. Defaults to Half Moon Bay CA. If you want to select a different location, just click on the word 'edit', and a list of alternate available locations appears. Pick the one of your choice. Content updates 4 times daily. A great way to see what waves are coming your way!
http://www.google.com/ig/add?moduleurl=http://www.stormsurf.com/gadget/stormsurf .xml

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