It's going to rain most of the week.....

Rain on and off through the week - potentially heavy rain next weekend.  There is some precedent for this much weather in June - but you have to go back to the 1960s to find it.  Unusual to say the least.  No big warm up or high pressure in sight.  Just on and off rain showers with s/sw/west wind.  There will be swell - mix of northwest and south swell mid week (from fairly extreme angle 175-190) - but you'll have to find some place that likes onshore to south winds to ride anything.  No tan for you.  Cya in the water.

Memorial Day Weekend Forecast

Ongoing mix of west/northwest wind/mid period swell - (right now 5-6 ft at 9-11 seconds) plus a small pulse of south (2 ft at 17).  Another front is dragging through the region with very light rain today north of the Golden Gate.  Winds are southwest/west - and look for a return of northwest winds through the weekend.  Temps forecast to stay well below normal - and it's going to get quite windy on Sunday.  West/northwest swells will keep up through Sunday - with background southern hemi energy.  So, upshot - waves to be had - but you need to find someplace clean to enjoy them.  Cya in the water.

NW Winds, rain, swell

NW winds howling and will do so most of the week.  We have another storm coming in on Wednesday - winds will turn southerly ahead of that front - and then shift back to westerly to northwest - late Wednesday through Friday.  Long period west swell in the water today - 6ft plus at 17 seconds - and we will have another pulse of more southwest swell showing Tuesday - through Thursday.  Not as big as this past weekend - probably in the 2-3 ft range deepwater.  We will continue to see pulses of west/northwest swell/windswell all week - the key will be finding spots clean enough to surf.  Memorial Day weekend looking windy and on the cool side - but more on that late in the week.  cya in the water.

South Swell Update

Probably dont have to tell you there is a big south swell hitting most of CA tonight - plenty of frothing surfers running about.  Spots to our south like Santa Cruz and Malibu are macking.  But like so many (hyped) long period/very southerly swells - up here on the north/central coast it can be a very shifty event.  Because the angle is so steep - 175-180 degrees, some places may be missing the energy completely, or just getting sideband wrap.  Pretty impressive deep water buoy readings as well - 8-10 ft at 17-20 seconds is a big south swell.  Look for this swell to continue through the weekend - and we have a mix of northwest windswell with decent size too.  Conditions aren't that clean - with fog and west/northwest winds - best bet will be protected spots.  Plenty of swell if you know how to look.  cya in the water. 

Winter returns - Mix of North/South swells this week

Very strong late season storm ramping up offshore and about to bring some decent rains to our region starting this afternoon.  Showers will last on and off into Wednesday.  Winds are light s/se right now - but forecast to really blow out of the south later as the front comes in.  We have northwest windswell in the water - 5-6 ft at 10 sec (deepwater).  Look for swell to increase from the south Wednesday - forerunners in the 2-3 at 21 sec range - from about 180.  Many spots will not gather this swell due to the angle of approach - so keep that in mind.  Swell will really start to fill in on Friday/Saturday - Friday look for 4-5 at 17 from 180 - Saturday 3-4 at 16 from 180+.  South on tap for Sunday and Monday - but fading.  At the same time - we'll have a north swell in the water - starting Friday 6-7 at 13 from 298 - continuing through Sat/Sun at 4-5 at 13 from 291.  Winds are going to be highly unpredictable most of the week - varying between south and west/north/northwest.  My advice is to check daily and see what's on tap.  We're in a pretty dynamic weather pattern at the moment and there will be windows for good surf. Cya in the water.

Weekend Forecast - Stormy

Interesting weather this weekend for Mid May - strong storm dropping down out of Gulf of AK will bring a good shot of rain and thunderstorms Saturday night - through Sunday.  Cold temps forecast as well.  NW windswell will come in with the front - winds probably going to be an issue all weekend - so not sure how clean any spot will be.  Best thing to do is check it early and see what the winds are doing.  System sticks around through next Monday/Tuesday - high pressure rebuilds late next week.  Still tracking a decent southwest swell for late next week - probably late Thursday through Sunday.  Size is still tbd - but if we dont get hammered with northwest winds could see some decent swell.  More on that early next week.  Cya in the water.

Week Ahead

Light north winds this AM - mix of north windswell and small southwest swell in the water.  Look for this mix of swells to continue most of the week.  Best bet is going to be sheltered spots as winds will be a problem most of the week with continued onshore/northwest flow.  By the weekend - a very deep, unseasonably cold low pressure system is forecast to drop down out of the Gulf of Alaska and bring us a chance of rain - and temps will be much cooler by late Friday into Sunday.  I am tracking a pretty significant sw swell for around May 19-22.  A big storm is just getting started east of New Zealand and will track north and east over the next few days with very strong winds.  Most of the energy will hit South America, Central America and Mexico but plenty of swell will make it to the West Coast. More on that late in the week. Cya in the water.

Weekend Forecast - Lower Your Expectations.....

Waist to shoulder high windswell through Sunday (bigger at north facing breaks, head +)  - with onshore winds.  That's what we got.  MAYBE - early mornings will be best when winds are light - but it's not going to be very groovy at the coast.  Fog is going to be on the move in Friday - pretty extensive Saturday - our warm weather of the past two days is pretty much over for now.  Cya in the water.

Week Ahead

High pressure gave us a decent Sunday - better than forecast with offshore to light winds most of the day at many spots.  Winds have turned weekly onshore this morning as a low pressure system well to our north pushes fog and low clouds to the coast.  Look for cooler weather still on Tuesday then a brief warm up Wednesday with offshore winds forecast and temps in the 70s at the beach.  Wednesday looks like the best day of the week - with more cooling expected for Thursday through next weekend. Surf remains small - 1.6 at 12 from 310 (deepwater height) and 1.3 at 14 from 180.  Look for surf to pick up Wednesday as a new nw swell fills in - shoulder to overhead sets at northwest facing breaks.  That swell will linger into Thursday, fade Friday.   Cya in the water.