Days of Rest

Monday through Wednesday have seen a return to the typical weather pattern of low clouds and fog in the morning giving way to sunny skies with north westerly winds in the afternoon. Any surf of consequence is the result of the north-south gradient blowing up nearshore windswell. There is a very low energy south swell in the water. Surf is small and not very energetic. Local beach breaks are offering rides, but the word is that not many sandbars are available this season.

This pattern is expected to remain at least into and through the weekend with some hope for a more energetic swell to arrive from the south Sat/Sun and into the new week.

The StormSurf chart is my latest find and I've been using it a lot. It very accurately provided data for the last swell, and for the most part was right on in size, period and timing. You can find it under Models on their website.

While our county is currently basking under the cool, moist air of low clouds, fog and a fire suppressing inversion layer, NorCal is still burning. Over 800 fires are being fought by fire crews who are stretched thin, and becoming more exhausted. Smoke from the Mendocino County fires is pervasive in my neighborhood, and it smells like a giant, open air campfire. I cannot help but think that from now on, there will be fires burning somewhere in the state until it starts to rain again (usually within two weeks of the change back from daylight savings time). This is not going to be an easy summer and there may not be one Californio who will be untouched by the fires or their consequences.

Click here for a copy (.pdf) of the wildfires map.