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Pacific Storm and Surf Forecast
Updated: October 4, 2007 6:38 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 = 3.5 - California & 1.5 - Hawaii
Using the 'Summer' 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 10/1 thru Sun 10/7
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 Utility swell
2 = Good probability for  1-2 days of Utility swell
1 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Impulse or Windswell
0 = Low probability for 1-2 days of Impulse or Windswell   

Another Pulse of Gulf Swell for CA
Yet More Gale Activity Forecast for the Gulf

 

PACIFIC OVERVIEW
On Thursday (10/4) Northern CA surf was head high and blown to bits. South facing breaks in Santa Cruz were waist high and junk. Central California surf (Morro Bay) was chest to head high with a few bigger peaks. Surf in Southern CA from Santa Barbara to just north of LA was more or less flat at the best breaks. The LA Area southward to Orange County was waist high at the better breaks. South Orange County down into San Diego best breaks were waist high. The North Shore of Oahu was flat. The South Shore was waist high thanks to wind swell. The East Shore was waist to chest high.

North/Central California continued getting swell from the Gulf of Alaska mixed with alot of locally generated chop and bump making for pretty messy surf. Southern California surf was all but non-existent with some 2-3 ft wrap around swell from the Gulf occasionally sneaking into exposed north facing breaks. Hawaii was flat on the North Shore. Small tradewind generated windswell was hitting the East Shore and wrapping into exposed breaks on the South Shore. The Southern Hemisphere is asleep for the season. The North Pacific remains reasonably active but isolated to it's far northeastern quadrant bounded by the Northern Gulf of Alaska and off the Canadian coast. This was favoring the Pacific Northwest and California from Point Conception northward, but not doing anything for the Hawaiian Islands and Southern CA. A gale that persisted this week is on it's last legs but has pushing more short period swell towards the California coast expected to arrive the next 2 days (Fri/Sat). Beyond more of the same is forecast with weak gale activity scheduled over the weekend in the far Northern Gulf with a shift in the pattern south early next week. Nothing is certain, but the pattern looks to be holding for a while. See details below...

 

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

North Pacific

Overview
Thursdays jetstream charts (10/4) for the North Pacific indicated a weak nearly consolidated flow pushing off Northern Japan to the dateline and moving just north of the Aleutian Islands. Then it gained energy with winds to 150 kts while barely pushing into the Eastern Bering Sea, turned south and pushed a bit off the Canadian coast forming a nearly landlocked trough there before turning inland over Northern California. Limited support for low pressure development off the Canadian coast. Over the next 72 hours this trough is to push inland by Saturday (10/6) while new energy tries to organize over the dateline on Sunday. Beyond 72 hours this new trough is to setup pushing into the Gulf of Alaska early Monday (10/8) with up to 190 kt winds digging-in to the south for a brief instant carving out a steep trough into Tuesday in the Gulf driving into Canada Wednesday. Good support for low pressure development in this trough expected. While this is going on a .cgiit flow is to set up in the North Pacific with the northern branch pushing even north of the Bering Sea, not good. Still a decent flow of 130 kts winds to be flowing flat just south of the Aleutians with a new trough theoretically trying to set up inland over Siberia. So maybe there will be some support for more low pressure in the Northwest Pacific long term, but that's more of an optimistic guess at this time.

Jetstream Models: We've upgraded our jetstream forecast models to includes topographic land with the jet flowing over it. Wind speeds less than 50 kts are masked out. See it here:( NPac, SPac )

At the surface today strong high pressure at 1032 mbs was centered 1200 nmiles north of the Big Island fueling a continued enhanced flow of easterly trades over the Hawaiian Islands and generating small short period windswell along east facing shores. Weak low pressure was fading in the Gulf of Alaska falling down the Canadian coast and forming a weak pressure gradient as it interacted with the high pressure system to the west, generating 25-30 kts north winds. This was the tail end of a previous Gulf system (see details below). Over the next 72 hours another little low is to push from the Eastern Bering Sea into the extreme Northern Gulf of Alaska generating 30-35 kt west winds Saturday (10/6) turning more to the northwest Sunday then fading. 20 ft seas forecast in the vicinity of 55N 145W forecast, good for more small 13 sec period swell for exposed breaks in the Pacific northwest down into Central CA early next week. This low to have a little influence pushing high pressure that has been dominating the Gulf more to the south, with it weakening to 1024 mbs and be pancaked just north of Hawaii by Sunday (10/7), continuing the flow of 20 kts easterly trades there producing more short period windswell. But it's to retreat from the California coast with calmer winds expected over outer waters.

 

Gulf Gale
Late Monday (10/1) low pressure set up in the northern Gulf of Alaska generating more 30 kt northwest winds and 21 ft seas while sinking southeast to a point just off the Pacific Northwest late on Thursday (10/4). More jumbled 12-13 sec period windswell expected for the Pacific Northwest and California starting late Thursday through Friday evening (10/5) then fading through the day Saturday. Swell expected in Central CA at about 5.6 ft @ 13 secs from 310-315 degrees.

 

Tropics
Typhoon Krosa was 400 nmiles southwest of Taiwan with sustained winds 125 kts tracking northwest and looking pretty impressive. It is expected to push into northeastern Taiwan Saturday morning with winds still a healthy 115 kts, eventually turning to the north but not before moving inland into China. No apparent indication it will reenter the North Pacific.

Tropical Storm Lemika was well inland of North Vietnam and fading. No swell generation potential for our forecast area.

 

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

 

California Offshore Forecast
On Thursday (10/4) high pressure at 1034 mbs was posed north of Hawaii and trying to ridge into the California coast but being held at bay by weak low pressure at 1008 mbs working it's way south down the Pacific Northwest coast. A pressure gradient and 25-30 kt north winds were being generated by the interaction of these tow systems. This low is to push inland over Northern CA early Friday with the gradient pushing over the coast resulting in 20-25 kt northerly winds nearshore in the afternoon even down into Southern CA. A real mess expected. High pressure to be right behind but fading fast, with 15-20 kts northwest winds possible Saturday in Central Ca, but maybe not that bad. Too close to call. The high to fade and low pressure to build in the Gulf by Sunday resulting in a much calmer wind pattern over all of California holding into Tuesday (10/9). Then a possible cold front with south winds and rain expected from the Gulf low early Wednesday AM reaching down into the San Francisco Bay area, but fading there. Back to calm later Wednesday into Thursday while another southerly tracking low sets up off the coast. A rather early wet season appears to be shaping up, at least for the north end of the state.

 

South Pacific

Overview
Thursdays jetstream charts (10/4) for the South Pacific indicated a .cgiit flow over the bulk of the Southern Pacific with no winds of interest suggested. Over the next 72 hours the southern branch of the jet is to become entrenched over Antarctica with no support for surface level low pressure indicated. Beyond 72 hours the pattern is to basically hold with the southern branch drifting a little more to the north, but still over the Ross Ice Shelf and totally land locked suppressing any chance for surface level gale development.

At the oceans surface today no winds of interest or significant weather systems capable of generating swell were in.cgiay in our forecast window. And the winds that were present were aimed doe south towards Antarctica. Over the next 72 hours more of the same is forecast, with no winds of interest 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 hours the models suggest that with the retreat of high pressure a new more southerly positioned regime of low pressure is to take up residence in the southern reaches of the gulf of Alaska Monday (10/8). Pressure to be 996 mbs but mostly set up right off the Pacific Northwest driving a thin fetch of 40-45 kt winds into the coast there raking up to Vancouver Island. Theoretically 35 ft seas are forecast by late Tuesday there, but all pushing north towards Alaska. Limited 25 ft seas might develop off the backside of this low near 45N 135W aimed south towards Oregon and North CA late Tuesday, offering a little hope for those locales.

In parallel a new broader low to be developing on the dateline Monday tracking much better into the Hawaii and California swell windows. 30-35 kts winds forecast in it's southwest quadrant pushing southeast from the Aleutians pushing up to the Pacific Norwest coast by Thursday (10/11), but seas only projected in the 19-20 ft range. Will monitor.

 

South Pacific

Beyond 72 hours the models indicate no potential for generation of swell producing fetch. The South Pacific is asleep.

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

Tom Jones California Paddle: California Paddle 2007 is a world record-breaking expedition by Tom Jones, an extreme endurance athlete and environmental activist. Tom will become the first person in history to paddle the entire 1250-mile coast of California on nothing more than a 14-ft. paddleboard. Tom is drawing world-wide attention to the problem of.cgiastic pollution in our oceans. A recent study has found that there is six times more.cgiastic in the ocean than.cgiankton off the coast of California. See more here: http://www.californiapaddle.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/

New CDIP Buoys Online: We've updated our buoy system to pick up new CDIP buoys put in service recently. One is the Monterey Canyon (inside Monterey Bay). Check it out here: Buoy 156. Also there are more new CDIP buoys activated in NCal, SCal, Pacific Northwest, and Florida.

Jason-1 Satellite Data On-line and Improved!: Our Jason-1 satellite data was upgraded yet again Wednesday PM (6/6) and is now operating better than ever. We've added a feature that averages the data every 15 measurements on the local views and every 50 measurements on the global view (1 measurement every 3 nautical miles) and overlays the results onto the wave model chart. Both the single highest measurement on the chart and the highest 15 measurement average are posted at the bottom of each chart. This seems to work real well and compensates for the very spiky nature of the raw data coming off the satellite. So we now have an effective way to verify the accuracy (or lack of) the wave model output. See the data here: http://www.stormsurf.com/mdls/menu_alt.html

Comprehensive guides to surfing Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Baja and Mainland Mexico: They ain't pretty. They ain't glossy. They ain't coffee table picture books. These are guides for surfers who want real, useful information. Since 1996 The Surfer's Guides have always provided more info, more detail, more tips, and have been updated more often than any other surf travel guides. Take a look here: http://www.surfingtravel.com/

Inside Mavericks - Portrait of a Monster Wave: Ace photographer Doug Acton, cinematographer Grant Washburn and San Francisco Chronicle writer Bruce Jenkins have teamed up to present an insiders view of Mavericks. Read all the first hand accounts from Peter Mel, Ken 'Skin Dog' Collins, Grant Washburn, Mark Renniker and the rest of the gang as they describe the game of surfing one of the largest waves in the world, fully illustrated with the hauntingly artistic images from Doug Acton, long-time Mavericks lensman. There's even a section featuring Stormsurf! Get your autographed copy here: http://www.insidemavericks.com/

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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Surf Height-Swell Height Correlation Table

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