There's no sense in getting worked up one way or the other over this, or any, site's predictions. It's like getting angry at the weather-man over lousy weather. The only thing I would suggest is building into the prediction algorithms something that subtracts about 40% of the positive read expected for the VB area once it reaches a certain threshold of data. That seems to be about what is predicted v. actually happens. Who's fault is that? Nobody's. The ocean's, go get mad at the ocean. I know to temper my expectations and then go check for myself.
Yankee, I feel you ..... living away from the coast, with wife, kids, job there is a need to plan ahead if possible for good surfing days. Need a little advance notice if possible to reserve room, juggle job, wife, kid, ect....I would love to move to the coast BUT That being said, I still rely on this sight first, then NOAA for forecast and buoy reports, surfline and a few other online sources for data. Then the visual online web cams/reports, surf reports online and on telephone. I know you do the same. East cost forecasting is crazy, yesterday afternoon, Surfline had poor at the cape hatteras light and it was glassy waist to chest and barreling on the web cam with a crowd. Looked fun. Surfline had good waist plus at my local se facing break yesterday and it was flat all day. Yankee, you are one of the better story tellers and I always enjoy reading your post. So keep posting!
yesterday was just a tough forecast (and despite what Yankee said a lot of people do try to forecast themselves) and lot of us were let down...Combo of really small SE long period swell from fickle TS Shary moving away like 40 miles and hour (so who knows how much fetch was really aimed northwest towards the US) and s/sw wind swell from saturday's strong SW winds.
It's in the nature of using these online forecasts for them to be slightly, or even more so, incorrect. If you've been surfing for any substantial amount of time and have during that time used online forecasting sites, that would be obvious. It's not always the negative surprise you get, either. I've been out plenty of days when the surf was bigger and/or cleaner than the forecast predicted. Saturday being a fine example. Not to be a ****, but driving to VB with big expectations without a massive storm system near the coast is pretty much your own fault anyways.
Should have came back in a hour like you were supose to . It really turned around and I got almost 2 hours of surf in
Be accountable for the fact that you live in Virginia Beach and it IS what it IS. VaB is lucky to get much of any swell that will be rockin'. That IS just now it IS. I have had some very nice days there, memories of takeoffs way beyond the pole at Ist St jetty, but those are few and far between. My heart goes out to your pain.
or maybe it's just difficult to predict surf forecast swell and the closer it gets to the weekend the clearer it comes into view
No...that would make sense and we can't have that. I want to know NOW what it will be like this weekend 100%!!!
i demand accountability for inaccurate surf forecasts because i live two hours from the beach and if the waves aren't good it's your fault
I think we can blame the unpredicatbilty of the winds for any reliable long range East Coast forecasting.
maybe you guys should just exchange phone numbers and chat. not sure anyone else is laughing anymore....
