The water cooled down much faster this year, than it did last year. Last year, we had a very mild December, like most years. The water slowly got cooled week by week through the winter. This year, the water was in the 70s one week, and then 3.5 weeks later the low 50s.
Could the rapid rate of decline in water temp this year possibly have something to do with it?
Typically winters are on the flat side anyway. In el nino winters winters, characterized by unusually warm temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, the southern branch of the jetstream is more active thus more surf. La nina winters like this winter can be mild and dry with prevailing offshores. This year so far has been very cold but with constant offshore winds thus driving down the water temp.. My guess is we'll see a nice warm up later this winter but it doesn't mean we'll see surf...it's to cold anywayOriginally Posted by whitewater
The water temps are more correlated to the general weather pattern. When we have offshore flow, that is conducive to cooling water temps. Offshore flow also brings with it colder air temps down from the north and west.
The weather pattern is the reason for lack of waves and not the coastal water temps, which themselves are also related to the weather pattern.
On a larger ocean wide scale, there is definitely evidence that water temperature patterns feedback on to the atmosphere. My masters thesis was on this very topic.
so what does this mean for waves this summer?
Nice. It's curious with the above normal temps this spring, summer and fall that the winter temps are well below normal with this "la nina" winter. Even the "pineapple express" has hammered the California coast like you would see in an "el nino" year. Maybe we should rethink the effect of the equatorial pacific's water temps and it's influence on the weather around the globe...What's your opinion?
Last edited by Jai-Guru; Jan 13, 2011 at 03:19 PM.
Have a look at the Climate Prediction Center's weekly and monthly ENSO disgnostic discussions.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...enso_advisory/
Floods in Australia, Indonesia, and Brazil....freezing cold in the southeast, crazy snow in the northeast and Europe, earthquakes around the world, no surf for the east coast, birds falling from the sky, fish dying in the sea.....mmmmmmmmmmmmm sounds like the end of the world is just around the corner. That's what happens when man messes with mother nature. IT"S ALL BP's FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The answer has nothing to do with meterology and everything to do with geography. It's the East Coast, the most inconsistent surf zone on the planet! Look on Surfline's Global Outlook map powered by LOLA on any given day and you'll see red and purple lighting up most of the world, while the East Coast of the US is almost always dark blue.
Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. I've got a place however that's worse. The central Texas coast around Galveston...with brown water to boot. Ironically South Padre island Texas can be quite consistent...
@ Jai: Yes, Texas/anywhere along the Gulf Coast is definitely worse, making the East Coast the second most inconsistent surf zone on the planet.
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