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BUOY ROUNDUP
On Tuesday, June 1, 2021 :

• Buoy 233 (Pearl Harbor Entrance)/Buoy 239 (Lanai): Seas were 3.3 ft @ 12.5 secs with swell 2.2 ft @ 13.4 secs from 214 degrees. Water temp 79.3 degs (Pearl Harbor 233), 79.3 (Lani 239).
• Buoy 106 (Waimea): Seas were 6.2 ft @ 11.1 secs with swell 5.0 ft @ 11.6 secs from 329 degrees. Water temp 79.2 degs.
• Buoy 46025 (Catalina RDG): Seas were 2.1 ft @ 12.8 secs with swell 1.1 ft @ 13.4 secs from 196 degrees. Wind at the buoy was southwest at 10 kts. Water temperature 61.3 degs, 63.7 (Topanga 103), 63.0 degs (Long Beach 215), 67.3 (Del Mar 153), 63.7 (Pt Loma 191). At Harvest Buoy (071) primary swell was 2.2 ft @ 15.8 secs from 300 degrees. At Santa Monica (028) swell was 1.2 ft @ 20.2 secs from 205 degrees. At Oceanside (045) swell was 1.0 ft @ 20.2 secs from 207 degrees. Southward at Point Loma (191) swell was 1.4 ft @ 15.8 secs from 198 degrees.
• Buoy 46012 (Half Moon Bay)/029 (Pt Reyes): Seas were 5.3 ft @ 15.4 secs with swell 2.9 ft @ 14.9 secs from 299 degrees. Wind at the buoy (012) was north at 0-2 kts. Water temp 51.4 (029), 54.7 degs (SF Bar 142) and 57.9 degs (Santa Cruz 254).

See Hi-Res Buoy Dashboards (bottom of the page)

Significant: Winter - Swell 8 ft @ 14 secs or greater (11+ ft faces) for 8+ hours (greater than double overhead).
Summer - Head high or better.
Advanced: Winter - Swell and period combination capable of generating faces 1.5 times overhead to double overhead (7-10 ft)
Summer - Chest to head high.
Intermediate/Utility Class: Winter - Swell and period combination generating faces at head high to 1.5 times overhead (4-7 ft).
Summer - Waist to chest high.
Impulse/Windswell: Winter - Swell and period combination generating faces up to head high (1-4 ft) or anything with a period less than 11 secs.
Summer - up to waist high swell. Also called 'Background' swell.

Surf Heights for Hawaii should be consider 'Hawaiian Scale' if period exceeds 14 secs.

PACIFIC OVERVIEW
Current Conditions
On Tuesday (6/1) North and Central CA had waves at shoulder to head high and junky and lumpy from south wind and mushed with poor form. Protected breaks were chest high and lined up and fairly clean except for south texture and soft. At Santa Cruz surf was waist high and clean but pretty weak and unremarkable. In Southern California/Ventura waves were thigh to maybe waist high and clean but soft and weak. Central Orange County had set waves at waist to chest high and lined up coming from the south and closed out and clean early. South Orange County's best summertime breaks had sets at chest to shoulder high and lined up and clean early. North San Diego had sets waves at waist high or so and clean and closed out. Hawaii's North Shore was remarkably good with sets 2 ft overhead and lined and clean and peeling. The South Shore was still getting swell with sets waist to chest high and lined up with decent form and clean. The East Shore report was not available.

See QuikCASTs for the 5 day surf overview or read below for the detailed view.

Meteorological Overview
On Tuesday (6/1) California was getting the last dribbles of swell from a gale that developed under New Zealand on Tues (5/18) then tracked slowly east with seas building to 34 ft on Wed (5/19) then faded slowly on Thurs (5/20) with seas dropping from 26 ft aimed northeast. Sideband swell was hitting Hawaii from another short lived system that developed southeast of New Zealand on Mon (5/24) producing 28 ft seas aimed east. And northwest swell was hitting Hawaii from a gale that formed over the dateline on Thus (5/27) with seas to 28 ft. Another southerly angled swell is pushing north associated with a small gale that formed in the upper reaches of the Southeast Pacific on Wed-Thurs (5/27) with up to 38 ft seas aimed northeast with 28-30 ft seas lingering into Fri (5/28). Beyond that a gale formed in the Tasman Sea on Sat-Sun (5/30) producing 28 ft seas aimed north. Swell is radiating towards the Islands. And a late season gale is forecast for the Western Gulf Wed-Fri (6/4) producing up to 26 ft seas aimed east. But otherwise the core of the South Pacific is to be inactive for the next week.

See all the details below...

 

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

North Pacific

Overview
Surface Analysis
On Tuesday (6/1) swell from a small gale that developed on the Dateline was hitting Hawaii (see Dateline Gale below).

Over the next 72 hours a gale is forecast developing in the far Western Gulf of Alaska on Wed AM (6/2) producing 45 kt west winds and seas building from 20 ft at 42.5N 177.25W aimed east. In the evening 45 kt west winds to continue while the gale pushes east with seas 25 ft at 45.25N 166W aimed east. On Thurs AM (6/3) the gale is to be moving into the Central Gulf with 35 kt west winds and seas 23 ft at 45.75N 161W aimed east. The gale is to be fading in the evening with 30 kt west winds and seas fading from 21 ft at 46.5N 153.5W aimed east. The gael is to quickly dissipate from there. Something to monitor. Swell possible for mainly the US West Coast.

 

Dateline Gale
A small gale started developing Wed PM (5/26) west of the Dateline producing 45 kt west winds with seas building from 21 ft at 44.75N 169E aimed east. On Thurs AM (5/27) fetch was fading from 40 kts over a broader area approaching the dateline with seas 28 ft at 46.5N 176E aimed east. In the evening 30 kt northwest winds were moving over the North Dateline with seas 22 ft at 49N 178.5W aimed southeast. On Fri AM (5/28) residual 30 kt west fetch is to be fading just east of the dateline with seas 18 ft at 47.5N 179W aimed southeast. No additional fetch occurred after that. Some small swell is radiating southeast towards Hawaii.

Oahu: Core swell arrival on Tues (6/1) pushing 3.5 ft @ 11 secs (3.5-4.0 ft). Swell fading on Wed (6/2) from 3.1 ft @ 10-11 secs (3.0 ft). Swell all but gone after that. Swell Direction: 330 degrees

 

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

 

Tropical Update
No tropical systems of interest are occurring nor forecast.

California Nearshore Forecast

• Wed (6/2) northwest winds are forecast fading from 15+ kts over a tiny area near Pt Arena early and light northwest 5 kts south of Pt Arena building to 10-15 kts over most of Central CA later. No windswell production forecast.
• Thurs (6/3) northwest winds are forecast at 20 kts limited to the area between Pt Reyes and Pt Arena early and northwest 10+ kts south of there building to 20+ kts over all of North and 15 kts for Central CA later. Little to no windswell production forecast.
• Fri (6/4) northwest winds are forecast at 20+ kts for North CA early and 15-20 kts mainly around the Big Sur area early holding all day offering minimal windswell production potential.
• Sat (6/5) northwest winds are to be building over North CA at 20-25 kts early and 15-20 kts for Central CA building in the afternoon to 30 kts for North CA and 15-20 kts for Central CA with windswell production on the increase.
• Sun (6/6) northwest winds are forecast at 30-35 kts for North CA south of Cape Mendocino and 10 kts for Central CA early with 20 kt northwest winds extending well up into the Gulf of Alaska and holding into the afternoon. Windswell production on the increase.
• Mon (6/7) northwest winds to be 20-25 kts mainly from Pt Arena to the Golden Gate and 15-20 kts southward to Big Sur early fading in the afternoon to 20 kts for North CA and 10-15 kts for Central CA. Windswell production fading.
• Tues (6/8) northwest winds are to be 10-15 kts for North and Central CA early and fading. Windswell production gone.

Total snow accumulation for the next 10 days respectively for Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood and Mammoth at 0, 0, 0, and 0 inches respectively.

Freezing level 14,000 ft today and rising some through 6/6, then falling to 9,000 ft on 6/7 rising some after that to 12,000 ft on 6/9 and holding through 6/11.

Snow Models: http://www.stormsurf.com/mdls/menu_snow.html (Scroll down for resort specific forecasts). Updated!

 

South Pacific

Overview
Jetstream
On Tuesday (6/1) the influential southern branch of the jet was very weak with winds 60 kts falling southeast over the Southwest Pacific offering no hope for gale development then ridging south from there into Antarctica over the Southeast Pacific offering no support for gale development. Over the next 72 hours starting late Wed (6/2) the southern branch of the jet over the Southwest Pacific is to get a little more wind energy in it but all falling southeast approaching the Ross Ice Shelf Thurs-Fri (6/3) offering no support for gale development. beyond 72 hours starting Sat (6/5) that energy is to turn to the east at 60S with winds 130 kts not directly supporting gale development but offering some hope, and lifting northeast on Sun (6/6) over the Southeast Pacific perhaps opening up a window to support gale development in lower levels of the atmosphere. But that weak trough is to move east of the Southern CA swell window on Mon (6/7) while another ridge builds under New Zealand reaching south to 70S and over the Ross Ice Shelf while sweeping east into Tues (6/8) actively suppressing support for gale development.

Surface Analysis
On Tuesday (6/1) fading remnants swell from a gale that tracked east from under New Zealand was all but gone in California. Another tiny swell was tracking north towards HI from a small gale previously southeast of New Zealand (see Tiny New Zealand Gale below). Also the last swell in what has been a long series of swells is tracking northeast towards South America and up into California from a gale previously in the upper reaches of the far Southeast Pacific (see Southeast Pacific Gale below). And swell is pushing towards Hawaii from a gale previously in the Tasman Sea (see tasman Sea Gale below).

Over the next 72 hours no swell producing weather systems are forecast.

 

Tiny New Zealand Gale
A gale developed southeast of New Zealand Sun PM (5/23) producing 45 kt south winds with seas building from 24 ft at 57S 175W aimed northeast. On Mon AM (5/24) southwest winds were still 40-45 kts with seas 29 ft at 59.5S 161W aimed northeast. Fetch faded in the evening from 30-35 kts with seas seas fading from 25 ft at 59.25S 155W aimed northeast. This system was gone after that. Low odds of any swell resulting.

Hawaii: Small swell arriving on Wed (6/2) pushing 1.3 ft @ 15-16 secs later (2.0 ft). Swell peaking on Thurs AM (6/3) at 1.8 ft @ 14 secs (2.5 ft). Residuals fading on Fri (6/4) from 1.3 ft @ 12-13 secs (1.5 ft). Swell Direction: 181 degrees

California: Whatever swell arrives in CA is to be buried in potentially stronger swell arriving from the Southeast Pacific.

 

Southeast Pacific Gale
A gale developed in the upper latitudes of the Southeast Pacific on Wed AM (5/26) producing 40-50 kt south winds over a tiny area with seas building from 21 ft at 35S 137W aimed northeast. In the evening 55-60 kt south to southwest winds built producing 38 ft seas at 34.25S 128.25W aimed northeast. On Thurs AM (5/27) the gale was holding with 45-55 kt southwest winds tracking east and seas 39 ft at 33.25S 120.25W aimed northeast. In the evening the gale was falling south fast with 35-45 kt southwest winds and 36 ft seas at 39.25S 116.5W aimed northeast and east of the CA swell window but with a secondary fetch 35-40 kts over a solid area from the southwest with seas 26 ft at 41S 130.5W aimed northeast. On Fri AM (5/28) 35-45 kt west and southwest winds held position with seas 30 ft at 44S 120W aimed mostly east. In the evening the gale held position producing south and southwest winds at 30-35 kts aimed northeast with seas 26-28 ft at 43.5S 120W aimed northeast. On Sat (5/29) south winds were fading from 35 kts with seas 24 ft at 50S 135W aimed north. Fetch and seas fading fast from there. Some swell is radiating north towards the US West Coast.

Southern CA: Expect swell arrival on Tues (6/1) pushing 1.4 ft @ 18-19 secs late (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell building through the day on Wed (6/2) reaching 2.4 ft @ 16 secs later (3.5 ft). Swell to start peaking on Thurs (6/3) at 3.0 ft @ 14-15 secs late AM (4.0-4.5 ft). Swell holding through the day Fri (6/4) at 3.1 ft @ 14-15 secs (4.5 ft). Swell fading on Sat (6/5) from 2.7 ft @ 14 secs (3.5-4.0 ft). Swell fading on Sun (6/6) from 2.4 ft @ 14 secs (3.0-3.5 ft). Residuals on Mon (6/7) fading from 2.2 ft @ 13-14 secs (3.0 ft). Dribbles on Tues (6/8) fading from 2.0 ft @ 12-13 secs (2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 190 degrees

North CA: Expect swell arrival on Wed (6/2) reaching 2.2 ft @ 16-17 secs later (3.5 ft). Swell to peak on Thurs (6/3) at 3.1 ft @ 14-15 secs later (4.5 ft). Swell holding through the day Fri (6/4) at 3.0 ft @ 15 secs (4.5 ft). Swell fading on Sat (6/5) from 2.8 ft @ 14-15 secs (4.0 ft). Swell fading on Sun (6/6) from 2.2 ft @ 14 secs (3.0 ft). Residuals on Mon (6/7) fading from 1.9 ft @ 13-14 secs (2.5 ft). Dribbles on Tues (6/8) fading from 2.0 ft @ 13 secs (2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 190 degrees

 

Tasman Sea Gale
On Fri AM (5/28) a gale started building in the Tasman Sea producing 40 kt south winds just off the coast of Australia with seas building from 26 ft at 36S 156E aimed north. in the evening fetch held from the south at 35 kts filling the Tasman Sea producing seas of 26 ft at 32S 157E aimed northeast. A secondary fetch developed Sat AM (5/29) at 40 kts from the south in the Central Tasman Sea with seas 26 ft at 40S 162E aimed north. In the evening 40 kt south winds held aimed north with seas 29 ft at 37.5S 163E aimed north. On Sun AM (5/30) fetch was fading from 35 kts with seas fading from 27 ft at 34.5S 165.75E aimed north. The gale dissipated from there. Swell is pushing northeast towards Hawaii but it will be filtered by Fiji.

Oahu: Expect swell arrival on Fri (6/4) building to 1.6 ft @ 15-16 secs later (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell building on Sat (6/5) to 1.9 ft @ 14-15 secs later (2.5-3.0 ft). Swell fading some through the day Sun (6/6) from 1.7 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell gone after that. Swell Direction: 222 degrees

 

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 hours no swell producing fetch is forecast.

 

South Pacific

Beyond 72 hours no swell producing fetch is forecast.

 

 

MJO/ENSO Forecast

 

Weak Active MJO Trying to Set Up - Weakly Warmer Water Building on Equator
Summary - A combination of 2 Kevin Waves appears stalled at the Galapagos. The forecast suggests continued west anomalies in the KWGA for the next 3 months.

MJO/ENSO Discussion
The Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a periodic weather cycle that tracks east along the equator circumnavigating the globe. It is characterized in it's Inactive Phase by enhanced trade winds and dry weather over the part of the equator it is in control of, and in it's Active Phase by slackening if not an outright reversing trade winds while enhancing precipitation. The oscillation occurs in roughly 20-30 day cycles (Inactive for 20-30 days, then Active for 20-30 days) over any single location on the planet, though most noticeable in the Pacific. During the Active Phase in the Pacific the MJO tends to support the formation of stronger and longer lasting gales resulting in enhanced potential for the formation of swell producing storms. Prolonged and consecutive Active MJO Phases in the Pacific help support the formation of El Nino. During the Inactive Phase the jet stream tends to split resulting in high pressure and less potential for swell producing storm development. Wind anomalies in the Kelvin Wave Generation Area (KWGA) are key for understanding what Phase the MJO is in over the Pacific. The KWGA is located on the equator from 135E-170W and 5 degs north and south (or on the equator from New Guinea east to the dateline). West wind anomalies in the KWGA suggest the Active Phase of the MJO in the Pacific, and east anomalies suggests the Inactive Phase. In turn the Active Phase strengthens and the Inactive Phase weakens the jetstream, which in turn enhances or dampens storm production respectively in the Pacific.And the El Nino/La Nino cycle (collectively know as ENSO - El Nino Southern Oscillation) is a less frequent (about once every 7 years) but more impactful cycle that affects world wide weather. Specifically, strong El Nino events promote storm production in the Pacific while La Nina events suppress storm production. These therefore have a significant impact on the production of swell and surf. The paragraphs below analyze the state of the MJO and ENSO in the Pacific and provide forecasts for upcoming activity (or inactivity depending on the state and interaction of these two oscillations).

Overview: A double dip La Nina occurred through the Winter of 2017-2018. Warming started building along the South and Central American coast in early March 2018 associated with two upwelling Kelvin Waves, and continued trying to build over equatorial waters over the Summer and Fall, but not enough to declare El Nino and not coupled with the atmosphere. In 2019, those warm waters were fading, and by August a tongue of cool water was tracking west on the equator from Ecuador over the Galapagos reaching to a point nearly south of Hawaii. A bit of a recovery tried to occur during Fall of 2019, with weak warm water building in the Nino 1.2 region, but cool water held in a pool off Peru. By April 2020 a cool pool was starting to build, forming a well defined cool tongue that looked like the start of La Nina, with it fully developing into La Nina in July 2020. We continue in the place in March 2021, but with a Kelvin Wave sweeping east late in March possibly signaling the demise of La Nina.

LONG-RANGE PACIFIC STORM AND SWELL GENERATION POTENTIAL FORECAST

Spring/Summer 2021 = 4.0/3.5 (California & Hawaii) Rating based on a 1-10 scale: 1 being the lowest (small and infrequent surf conditions), 5 being normal/average, and 10 being extraordinary (frequent events of large, long period swells)

Rationale: It is assumed that the moderate La Nina from the Winter of 2020/2021 is on the wane and that a return to neutral ENSO state will set up over the Pacific Basin through the summer of 2021. But lingering effects of La Nina are forecast to continue over the Pacific for some time as the upper atmospheric circulation slowly transitions to an ENSO neutral state. This scenario tend to favor the Southeast Pacific, therefore favoring California over Hawaii. To counter that is the forecasted movement of the low pressure bias currently in-flight from the Maritime Continent to the West Pacific over the next 3 months. Still it will take some time for the atmosphere to fully respond, resulting in a slightly less than normal swell production forecast. A somewhat reduced number of storm days and storm intensity is expected as compared to normal over the South Pacific during the early summer season, resulting in a below normal level of swells, with swell being below normal duration and period. But by the Fall and early Winter of 2021/22, the number of storm days, intensity and duration of those storms should start improving as La Nina fades out. The status of the PDO is not known, though it appears to be returning to at least a neutral state, rather than the warm phase as previously projected thereby having no significant positive or negative effect on the long term outlook.

KWGA/Equatorial Surface Wind Analysis (KWGA - Kelvin Wave Generation Area - The area 5 degrees north and south of the equator from 170W to 135E)
Analysis (TAO Buoys): As of (5/31) 5 day average winds were strong from the east over the Eastern equatorial Pacific then strong east east over the Central Pacific and strong east over the East KWGA fading to moderate east over the West KWGA. Anomalies were neutral over the East equatorial Pacific and light east over the Central Pacific and moderate east over the East KWGA and light east over the western portion. (Note: These are 5 day average winds, versus realtime, so they lag what is happening today (by about 2 days).
1 Week Forecast (GFS Model): On (6/1) weak west anomalies were filling the west half of the KWGA and moderate east anomalies were filling the east portion of the KWGA mainly on the dateline. The forecast calls for weak west anomalies holding over the Western KWGA till 6/4 then building in coverage and filling the KWGA at the end of the model run building to moderate status with no east anomalies in the KWGA.

Kelvin Wave Generation Area wind monitoring model: West and East

MJO/WWB/Wind Projections:  
OLR Models: (5/31) A weak Active MJO pattern was indicated over the Pacific today. The statistic model projects it fading to neutral status on day 5 and holding over the next 15 days. The dynamic model projects an Active Phase holding weakly over the KWGA at day 5 building to moderate status filling the KWGA at days 10 and 15.
Phase Diagrams 2 week forecast (ECMF and GEFS): (6/1) The statistical model depicts the Active Phase was weak over the West Pacific today and is to stay there for the next 15 days collapsing to non-existent status. The dynamic model suggests the Active Phase is hold at weak status over the West Pacific for the next 7 days then tracking east to the East Atlantic and very weak 15 days out.
40 day Upper Level Model (assumed to be a statistical mode and 1 week ahead of what is occurring at the surface): (5/31) A modest Inactive Phase (dry air) was over the Central Pacific and is to push east into Central America on 6/15. A second pulse of the Inactive Phase (dry air) is to be building over the KWGA on 6/10 pushing east to the East Pacific and over Central America on 6/30. A new modest Active Phase is to build in the west on 6/22 moving to the East Equatorial Pacific at the end of the model run on 7/10.
4 Week CFS Model (850 mb wind): (5/31) This model depicts the Active Phase of the MJO was over the West KWGA today with moderate plus strength west anomalies mostly filling the West KWGA. Weak east anomalies were on the dateline and filling the Eastern Pacific. The forecast indicates west anomalies building in the core of the KWGA at moderate plus status a week out (6/6) then weakening to neutral status 6/14, rebuilding to weak status 6/20 over the West KWGA and holding through the end of the model run on 6/28. East anomalies are to pretty much fade out east of the KWGA over the next few days and are not expected to return.
3 Month CFS Model (850 mb wind): (6/1 - using the 4th/latest ensemble member): Today the Active Phase of the MJO was building over the KWGA. Weak west anomalies were nearly filling the KWGA. The forecast indicates the Active Phase of the MJO is to build over and filling the KWGA through 7/11 with weak west anomalies reaching to the dateline through that time period. East anomalies are to be just east of the dateline and filling the Central and East Pacific over this duration. A weak Inactive Phase is to try and develop 7/2 over the KWGA into 7/11 but with weak west anomalies prevailing in the KWGA. A new Active Phase is to be moving into the far West KWGA on 7/17 holding into 8/12 with west anomalies holding in the KWGA east to the dateline. A weak Inactive MJO pattern to follow through the end of the model run on 8/29 with mostly weak west anomalies in control. East anomalies are to hold from the dateline eastward through the model run but no significant east anomalies are forecast in the confines of the KWGA moving forward. The low pass filter indicates a high pressure bias is in control over the Central Pacific filling the eastern KWGA but a low pressure bias was over the West KWGA filling the western half of it to 150E. The high pressure bias has 2 contour lines reaching east to a point south of the Southwest US. The second contour line is to fade 6/9. The remaining 1 is to be shifting steadily east and losing coverage and no longer in the KWGA by 6/30. A single contour low pressure bias is over the Maritime Continent with it's leading edge half way through the KWGA (at 150E) today. The east edge of the low pressure bias is to ease east reaching 165E on 6/15 and holding there for the foreseeable future, maybe backtracking some to 150E at the end of the model run. We are moving to a neutral ENSO position. East anomalies that have been solid over the KWGA since 10/1/20 are fading and have now migrating east of the KWGA with no return in sight, instead focused over the East Pacific (from the dateline east to a point south of California - aka the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge). The end of La Nina is here according to NOAA.

CFSv2 3 month forecast for 850 mb winds, MJO, Rossby etc - Alternate link

Subsurface Waters Temps
TAO Array: (6/1) Today in the far West Pacific the 28 deg isotherm line was backtracking from 154W to 160W. The 24 deg isotherm was pushing the whole way across the equatorial Pacific and was 100 meters deep at 140W. Anomaly wise, warm anomalies +1 deg C were filling the West Pacific indicative of a Kelvin Wave pushing east. +2 deg anomalies were filling the East Pacific from 140W and points east of there pushing near the surface at 110W but just 5 meters under it and holding that way into Ecuador. No cool anomalies were indicated. The hi-res GODAS animation posted 5/28 indicates much the same with warm anomalies moving east subsurface to 100W and reaching to the surface there indicative of a Kelvin Wave poised off the Galapagos. Negative anomalies in the East Pacific were all but gone with residuals getting squeezed to the surface by the Kelvin Wave near Peru. The GODAS animation appears to be 1 week behind the TAO data but also is more detailed and accurately modeled.
Sea Level Anomalies: (5/28) A slight increase in sea heights was indicated with readings 0 to +5 cms over almost the entire equatorial Pacific and nearly continuous (again). No negative anomalies were present on the equator and mostly along the coasts of Peru, Central America and up to Baja Mexico or Southern California. The massive cold triangle that had previously formed over the equator is gone. The demise of La Nina is occurring now.

Surface Water Temps
The more warm water in the equatorial East Pacific means more storm production in the North Pacific during winter months (roughly speaking). Cold water in that area has a dampening effect. Regardless of what the atmospheric models and surface winds suggest, actual water temperatures are a ground-truth indicator of what is occurring in the ocean. All data is from blended infrared and microwave sensors.
Satellite Imagery
Hi-res Nino1.2 & 3.4: (5/31) The latest images show weakly warm water temps building on the equator across the width of the Pacific except one pocket of weakly negative anomalies just west of the Galapagos and even that was fading. A previous upwelling event (cool anomalies) was all but gone along Peru and getting steadily weaker. A pocket of warm water was off Ecuador and Central America up to Southern Baja. Another weak pocket of warm water was off Chile and outer waters off Southern Peru. Overall this seems to indicate the late stages of La Nina.
Hi-res 7 day Trend (5/31): A neutral to weak warming temperature trend was along Peru and Ecuador. Otherwise a neutral temperature trend was indicated. There was no clear signs of an upwelling warm water event (yet).
Hi-res Overview: (5/31) Weakly warmer than normal waters were on the equator from Ecuador to the dateline. Elsewhere a generic area of warm water was west of Central America. A mix of generic cool and warm water was west of Peru. A very weak area of cool water was along the immediate coast of Peru and fading fast. La Nina appears to be in retreat but not gone.
Nino1.2 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (6/1) Today's temps were steady at -0.649 after being in the -0.75 range since early April. Before that temps peaked at +0.714 on 3/16. The longterm trend has been stable.
Nino 3.4 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (6/1) Today temps were rising slightly to +0.071 today after peaking at +0.071 on (5/20), beating the previous peak high of +0.040 on 5/3, the highest in a year. Temps previously had been steady near -0.222 since early March. Temps bottomed out at -1.654 on 11/3, rising to to -0.982 on 1/21. Temps are on a steady increase.

CFSV2 Forecast for Nino3.4 Sea Surface Temp (SST) Anomalies & Current SST Anomalies

SST Anomaly Projections
CFSv2 Uncorrected Data (6/1) - Actuals per the model indicate temps have been steadily rising from early Nov at -1.25 degs up to to -0.25 degs in mid-May. The forecast indicates temps rising to 0.00 degs in late June holding into mid-July, then starting a slow decline falling to -0.45 degs in mid-Oct and holding to mid-Jan before rising to -0.15 degs in early Feb 2022. This model suggests a demise of La Nina with an ENSO neutral trend beyond biased slightly negative. There is no sense that El Nino will develop. We're still in the Spring Unpredictability Barrier, so no outcome is certain.
IRI Consensus Plume: The May 20, 2021 Plume depicts temps are at -0.14 degs today, and are to rise to 0.00 in Sept e and stabilizing there through Jan 2022. Most models are suggesting were are nearly normal now and are to hold there into the early months of 2022.
See chart here - link.

Atmospheric Coupling (Indicating the presence of El Nino in the atmosphere driven by the ocean):
Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) (negative is good, positive bad - this is a lagging indicator) (6/1): The daily index was rising at -1.34. The 30 day average was rising to +5.13, previously down to o +0.02 on 4/26, and that after peaking at +19.51 on 1/14. The 90 day average was falling slightly at +1.60, up slightly from its lowest in a year on 5/25 at +1.55. The 90 day average peaked at +15.75 on 2/23 (clearly indicative of La Nina then). This index is a lagging indicator.

Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Per NOAAs index recent values: Jan 2018 +0.29, Feb -0.19, Mar -0.61, April -0.89, May -0.69, June -0.85, July -0.09, Aug -0.43, Sept -0.46, Oct -0.75, Nov -0.78, Dec -0.12, Jan 2019 -0.18, Feb -0.50 Mar -0.23, April +0.10, May +0.14, June -0.11, July +0.44, Aug -0.14, Sept +0.05, Oct -0.96, Nov -0.28, Dec +0.01, Jan 2020 -1.17, This continues to look like the warm phase of the PDO. No consistently solid negative readings have occurred since Feb 2014
The Washington/JISAO index (Jan-Dec): Jan 2018 +0.70. Feb +0.37, Mar -0.05, April +0.11, May +0.11, June -0.04, July +0.11, Aug +0.18, Sept +0.09. No real negative readings have occurred since Dec 2013
The PDO turned from a 16 year negative run (Jan 98-Feb 2014) in early 2014 and has been positive ever since (other than a few months of negative readings in Fall 2016, the result of a turn towards La Nina). Looking at the long term record, it is premature to conclude that we have in-fact turned from the negative phase (La Nina 'like') to the positive phase (El Nino 'like'), but the data strongly suggests that could be a possibility. By the time it is confirmed (4-5 years out), we will be well into it.

See imagery in the ENSO Powertool 

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Powerlines

Jeff Clark

Inside Mavericks

Local Interest
Stormsurf Video Surf Forecast for this week. See it Here
For automatic notification of forecast updates, subscribe to the Stormsurf001 YouTube channel - just click the 'Subscribe' button below the video.

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NBC News - Climate Change and Surfing: https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/climate-change-good-surfing-other-sports-not-so-much-ncna1017131

Mavericks & Stormsurf on HBO Sports with Bryant Gumbel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luQSYf5sKjQ

Pieces Featuring Stormsurf:
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/how-to-predict-the-best-surfing-waves-EsNiR~0xR5yXGOlOq2MqfA.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/surfs-up-for-mavericks-invitational-in-calif/

Time Zone Converter 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.

Surf Height-Swell Height Correlation Table