I have been hearing and reading from sources that an El Nino is starting to build in this summer. Can anyone verify that? I have been told that El Nino effects the East Coast by suppressing waves during hurricane season, but increasing waves and wave size during the late fall and winter. Does anyone really know whats going on? I can say that this winter on the East Coast, although consistent, did not have any large surf ( DOH or bigger) down here in Florida this season. Last Summer was consistently small but rideable in the waist plus range. Can any weather gurus tell us waht is supposed to happen and why, assuming we get a strong El Nino? I think the West Coast should start firing, but I am no expert on these matters.
From what i was led to believe El Nino is the shift in warm water current in the pacific. Due to this it brings wetter weather and larger storms to the west coast/ Hawaii. As the current normally hits further south in more tropical areas. The last 2 major hurricanes in HI happened during past el nino events. I have no clue what it does to the east coast.
I watched a video on weather channel awhile back that said El Nino makes the west coast fire and the east coast flat. El Nino is spanish for the Nino! I don't know what you're talking about with the winter surf sisurfdog. It may not have been big and macking, but it was consistently pretty good (at least in NE Florida)! waist to chest to head to a little over head on many many occasions. I'll take quality form chest high surf over the big macking stuff any day. I can surf longer and catch more waves in those conditions. In the big stuff, it's usually just point and shoot.
El Nino is just warming ocean temps in the Pacific. As far as I know, the only result because of the high air pressure that results from it, is that the jet stream shifts and should drop further south than it usually does, which would affect the east coast's weather patterns.... Typically on the west coast, they get ballistic surf. These are the years when southern California actually gets rain and conversely, the pacific north west actually dries out a bit and gets a break from the wet, darker, colder winter seasons that they typically have. Its like a role reversal from the SW and the NW, with great waves everywhere. But yeah, the only thing I can think of is the jet stream could in effect keep a bermuda high in place for long and potentially direct tropical storm in a different direction than it normally would. But again, I don't even know what part of the season it really forces the shift.
I think it's just a rumor based on a loose pattern/cycle of stormier than usual winters; the strongest of which can be 10 or more years apart. The weaker to moderate el ninos are usually about 5 years apart. The last full blown el nino was in 1998. I can attest that the north pacific ocean was disturbingly warm that winter, the waves were massive and consistent...and it rained like crazy in california (snowed practically non-stop in the mtns). 2006 and 2011 had a moderate-heavy el nino type weather (although, in 2011, the jet stream consistently dipped into CA, giving record snow), so I'm skeptical we'd have another strong el nino so soon.
I spoke to a friend of mine who lifeguards and is a champion longboarder, at the beach today and asked him. He thought it causes wind shear on the east coast during hurricane season, which may keep them from forming in the Caribbean basin, and he said they might keep Cape Verde storms offshore and in our window. Stay tuned.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” ~Matthew 8:27 Here is your answer, you asked the question. Happy surfing.
The winds and waves certainly obey him when he tears apart communities with tsunami's, tornado's and hurricanes.
oh no, here we go again. don't give in to the jesus troll! El nino, el nino, el nino!!!!! Believe whatever you want, but I beleive we need some good cane swell this year boys and girls.
S.I. ban this trolling kook, he has broke every rule that you have set forth. I have nothing against religion, but I come here to post and read about surfing, what this site is truly about, not to read about someone's personal beliefs...please, do us all a favour. I'm done now.
Looks like we got some El Nino love this fall and winter on the EC, and the WC was lit up summer and fall. I've been hearing/reading that the summer after an El Nino on the east coast, we get lots of hurricane action and possible landfall. The water temps are already warming up, as Betty pointed out on another tread. Any thoughts, historical perspective, or sheer speculation?
