UPDATED FORECAST 3-26

Our hot, dry March will come to a close next week as rain returns to most of CA starting about Tuesday and go on for 3-4 days.  Heaviest amounts Santa Cruz north.   Surf wise - lot of wind right now in the outer waters (gale warnings up) generating mostly large wind swell - north of Bodega around 10@10 sec.  Smaller SF south.   Small south in the water at 2ft - but getting smacked down once in gets around Pt Conception.  Pretty much look for average size wind swell the rest of the week into early next - along with background south swells.  Cya in the water. 

UPDATED FORECAST 3-10 - FIRST SOUTH IN THE WATER

 Long period south swell forerunners moving up the West Coast today - offshore buoys from Santa Cruz south to Oceanside reporting 2ft@22 plus sec from 187-194 deg.   SF north, just mostly large wind swell for the day as the north west winds continue to howl.  Swell will start to fill in better from SC south on Wednesday - peaking around 3@17-19 sec on Thursday.  Leftovers around Friday into Saturday, but smaller.  North of SC - swell will probably start to show at good south facing spots Thursday into Friday - might lose some steam due to the forecasted northwest winds through the period - but not a bad starter for the season.   High pressure firmly in control now through the next 10 days.   Will it rain again this season?   Not looking likely, although long term models way out point to one more pattern change late March into early April - will see if that actually comes to pass.   Cya in the water.  

UPDATED FORECAST 2-28 - End of the "good wave" season?

 March 1st tomorrow and that typically is the end of the good wave/weather season around these parts.   A look at the buoys this morning paints a more optimistic picture.   New long period northwest swell has filled in overnight - ranging from over 9ft @15-17 seconds (320 deg) far north to around 4@15 seconds in SF.   Smaller south of there, but swell will continue to fill in all day.  We also have traces of a new and first south swell of the spring, around 1ft@17 seconds.  That will also build some over the weekend, but likely be lost in the dominant northwest swell.   Winds are light to offshore.   Northwest swell will fade over the weekend and be replaced by some small west to northwest swells through Tuesday.   Chance of rain returns Sunday and Monday - but very light and likely none south of Sonoma County.   Later next week the northwest (spring) wind machine ramps up with strong winds 25-30kt by Wednesday evening.   Just a reminder what season we are heading into!  Plenty of waves the next couple of days.  Cya in the water.  

UPDATED FORECAST 2-15 - STAYING LARGE AND STORMY

 Just starting a solid storm production cycle for the West Coast with heavy snow, rain and wind, XL surf for the most part over the next week.  Timing the windows for ideal winds and surf will be challenging.  This morning - first storm in the series is producing strong south winds and heavy rain north of the Sonoma County line.   West swell 8-9ft@15 seconds mostly, with short period south and north wind swell also in the water making it all a chaotic mess.  Swell comes up a notch tomorrow, pulsing back up to 10@13 and then really jumping Tuesday into Wednesday with deep water heights forecast 16-17ft @14-17 seconds.  Swell angle will fluctuate between 270 and 295 degrees.  West to northwest winds - strong at times - through the next 5 days.  This will continue to bring much colder air into the region and very low snow levels by Wednesday morning.   All n all, not many windows to surf but there are a few spots that will hold waves and deal with the wind.   Cya in the water?   

UPDATED FORECAST 1-31

 Good size west swell (280 deg) continues today, fading quite a bit from its peak yesterday - but solid this morning - 6-8 ft at 11 to 13sec.   Winds are light, mostly offshore as high pressure is once again in control.   A strong low pressure system in the N Pac will send another strong swell to our shores starting Sunday starting at 11@16 sec from 290 plus with a slow fade into Monday and Tuesday.  Monday will still be solid - 10-11@15 sec.   Brief dip in heights will be following by yet another swell starting next Thursday, ratcheting wave heights back up into the 10-11@14-16sec realm.   Good winds for the next week, light to variable/offshore for the most part.   Not much rain in the forecast through the second week of February.  Cya in the water.