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BUOY ROUNDUP
On Saturday, April 10, 2021 :

• Buoy 233 (Pearl Harbor Entrance)/Buoy 239 (Lanai): Seas were 2.1 ft @ 16.7 secs with swell 1.2 ft @ 15.7 secs from 185 degrees. Water temp 75.5 degs (Pearl Harbor 233).
• Buoy 106 (Waimea): Seas were 4.7 ft @ 10.5 secs with swell 3.7 ft @ 9.6 secs from 26 degrees. Water temp 75.4 degs.
• Buoy 46025 (Catalina RDG): Seas were 4.6 ft @ 7.1 secs with swell 3.8 ft @ 6.5 secs from 267 degrees. Wind at the buoy was north at 12-14 kts. Water temperature 60.4 degs, 59.9 (Topanga 103), 60.4 degs (Long Beach 215), 63.3 (Del Mar 153). At Harvest Buoy (071) primary swell was 8.8 ft @ 8.1 secs from 320 degrees. At Santa Monica (028) swell was 4.0 ft @ 6.4 secs from 267 degrees. At Oceanside (045) swell was 3.1 ft @ 7.9 secs from 273 degrees. Southward at Point Loma (191) swell was 5.1 ft @ 8.6 secs from 288 degrees.
• Buoy 46012 (Half Moon Bay)/029 (Pt Reyes): Seas were 14.6 ft @ 9.1 secs with swell 12.5 ft @ 8.8 secs from 327 degrees. Wind at the buoy (012) was northwest at 21-27 kts. Water temp 48.9 (029), 52.0 degs (SF Bar) and 54.7 degs (Santa Cruz).

See Hi-Res Buoy Dashboards (bottom of the page)

Significant: Winter - Swell 8 ft @ 14 secs or greater (11+ ft faces) for 8+ hours (greater than double overhead).
Summer - Head high or better.
Advanced: Winter - Swell and period combination capable of generating faces 1.5 times overhead to double overhead (7-10 ft)
Summer - Chest to head high.
Intermediate/Utility Class: Winter - Swell and period combination generating faces at head high to 1.5 times overhead (4-7 ft).
Summer - Waist to chest high.
Impulse/Windswell: Winter - Swell and period combination generating faces up to head high (1-4 ft) or anything with a period less than 11 secs.
Summer - up to waist high swell. Also called 'Background' swell.

Surf Heights for Hawaii should be consider 'Hawaiian Scale' if period exceeds 14 secs.

PACIFIC OVERVIEW
Current Conditions
On Saturday (4/10) North and Central CA was getting northwest windswell with waves chest to head high and warbled with small whitecaps from northwesterly wind and soft and crumbled. Protected breaks were chest to shoulder high on the bigger sets and warbled and mushed but bordering on reasonably clean. At Santa Cruz surf was flat to knee high and clean. In Southern California/Ventura waves were chest to shoulder high on the sets and sort of lined up but warbled and crumbled with calm wind. Central Orange County had set waves at waist to chest high and warbled and sloppy and not very rideable with nearly chopped conditions. South Orange County's best summertime breaks had sets at thigh to maybe waist high and clean coming from the north and weak. North San Diego had sets waves at waist high or so and lined up but soft with just a light warble in the water. Hawaii's North Shore was small with windswell generated sets at waist high and clean but with some underlying light warble. The South Shore was small with sets at thigh to waist high and clean. The East Shore was getting easterly windswell with waves chest high and moderately textured from weak east-northeast trades.

See QuikCASTs for the 5 day surf overview or read below for the detailed view.

Meteorological Overview
On Saturday (4/10) California and Hawaii were getting no swell of interest. Only local windswell was to be found. Looking forward the area under New Zealand produced a gale tracking east to southeast Sun-Tues (4/6) resulting in 35 ft seas. Some minimal sideband swell to result for both Hawaii and California. Beyond a modest gale is to form in the deep South Central Pacific on Wed-Fri (4/16) producing up to 36 ft seas aimed east-northeast. Maybe some hope there. And after that no swell producing weather systems are forecast. Up north a gale developed in the far Northern Gulf on Fri (4/9) producing up to 23 ft seas aimed southeast but mostly east of the NCal swell window. Otherwise nothing is forecast other than local northwest windswell and even that is to fade by Fri (4/16).

See all the details below...

 

SHORT- TERM FORECAST
Current marine weather and wave analysis plus forecast conditions for the next 72 hours

North Pacific

Overview
Jetstream
On Saturday (4/10) the jet was pushing solidly east-northeast off Japan with winds building to 130 kts tracing south of the Central Aleutians then splitting over the Western Gulf of Alaska with the northern branch pushing over the East Aleutians and over the Alaskan Coast. no troughs were evidenced offering no support for gale development. The southern branch fell southeast tracking just north of Hawaii then east over Southern CA. Over the next 72 hours a variation of the same pattern is to continue but with a trough starting to develop over the far Northwestern Gulf on Mon (4/12) building some while tracking east on Tues (4/13) offering some hope for low pressure development. Beyond 72 hours that trough is to regenerate some Wed-Fri (4/16) getting deeper and falling south but also almost pinching off offering continued limited support for low pressure if not gale development over the Western Gulf targeting Hawaii. Back to the west the jet is to start splitting over Japan on Mon (4/12 and that splitting getting very pronounced by Wed (4/14) with the northern branch tracking north over the Kuril Islands and well up into the Bering Sea before falling into the aforementioned trough. No hope for gale development in the west. And by Sat (4/17) the trough in the Gulf is to be fully cut off circulating on it's own and collapsing in the Central Gulf with a fragmented and weak jetstream flow elsewhere offering nothing in terms of support for gale development. The season is over.

Surface Analysis
On Saturday (4/10) no swell of interest (other than windswell) was hitting Hawaii or California originating in the Northern Hemisphere.

Over the next 72 hours no swell producing fetch other than local windswell is forecast.

 

North Pacific Animations: Jetstream - Surface Pressure/Wind - Sea Height - Surf Height

 

Tropical Update
No tropical weather system of interest were being monitored. The model suggest a tropical system forming in the far West Tropical Pacific on Thurs (4/15) 1000 nmiles east of the Philippines. This system if it materializes is all attributable to the Active Phase of the MJO there driving a potential Westerly Wind Burst (WWB). Something to monitor.

California Nearshore Forecast

• Sun (4/11) northwest winds are forecast at 30 kts early for North CA and 25 kts from Pt Reyes south to Pt Conception early building to 30-35 kts up north later and 20 kts from the Golden Gate southward later. Building windswell expected.
• Mon (4/12) northwest winds are forecast at 30 kts for Pt Arena northward early and 20 kts south of there fading over Central CA to 10-15 kts later. Windswell production continuing but raw.
• Tues (4/13) northwest winds are forecast at 25-30 kts for North CA early and 15-20 kts along the Central CA coast holding all day. Windswell fading some. Perhaps some snow for the Sierra from a backdoor front over Nevada.
• Wed (4/14) northwest winds are forecast at 20 kts near Cape Mendocino but 10 kts nearshore south of there and fading up north later to the 15-20 kts range and 10-15 kts for Central CA. Low odds for rideable windswell resulting.
• Thurs (4/15) northwest winds are forecast at 10 kts all day offering no windswell production potential.
• Fri (4/16) northwest winds are forecast at 5 kts early for North CA and 15 kts south of Monterey Bay early fading to 5 kts everywhere but 15 kts for Pt Conception later.
• Sat (4/17) light winds are forecast early north of Big Sur but northwest 15 kts south of there early.

Total snow accumulation for the next 10 days respectively for Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood and Mammoth at 3 inches, 3 inches, 1 inch, and 1 inches all on 4/13-4/14.

Freezing level is to rise to 10,500 ft 4/10 through 4/12, then falling to 4,000 ft early on 4/14 before bouncing back to 9,500 ft on 4/15, then rising to 12,000 ft on 4/19 and holding.

Snow Models: http://www.stormsurf.com/mdls/menu_snow.html (Scroll down for resort specific forecasts).

 

South Pacific

Overview
Surface Analysis
On Saturday (4/10) no swell of interest was hitting CA or HI originating from the southern hemisphere. But swell was radiating northeast from a gale previously under and east of New Zealand (see small New Zealand Gale below).

Over the next 72 hours no swell producing fetch of interest is forecast.

 

Small New Zealand Gale
A gale developed south of New Zealand on Sun AM (4/4) producing 40-45 kt west winds generating seas of 32 ft at 5S 176W. In the evening a new fetch fetch developed from the old one with 45-50 kt west winds over a tiny area with seas 35 ft at 52S 170E aimed east. On Mon AM (4/5) a solid but small fetch of 45 kt southwest winds were southeast of New Zealand with seas 32 ft at 53S 172.5W aimed east. In the evening 50 kt west winds were pushing east with seas 37 ft at 59.5S 163.5W aimed east. Fetch was collapsing and fading from 40 kts on Tues AM (4/6) over the deep South Central Pacific with seas fading from 33 ft at 62.5S 152.5W aimed east with 26-30 ft seas lingering back to the northwest to 54.5S 180W. This system was gone after that. Possible small swell for the US West Coast starting 4/14 but most energy aimed at South America.

Hawaii: Expect swell arrival on Sun (4/11) building to 1.2 ft @ 18 secs later (2.0 ft). Swell building on Mon (4/12) to 1.6 ft @ 16-17 secs early (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell continues on Tues (4/13) at 1.4 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.0 ft). Swell fading on Wed (4/14) from 1.8 ft @ 15-16 secs (2.5 ft). Dribbles on Thurs (4/15) fading from 1.3 ft @ 14 secs (1.5-2.0 ft). Swell Direction: 196 degrees

Southern CA: Expect swell arrival on Tues (4/13) building to 1.3 ft @ 16-19 secs later (2.0 ft). Swell building Wed (4/14) to 1.4 ft @ 18 secs mid-day (2.5 ft). Swell getting more solid on Thurs (4/15) pushing 2.1 ft @ 17 secs late AM (3.5 ft). Swell continues on Fri (4/16) at 2.0 ft @ 16 secs (3.0-3.5 ft). Swell fading some on Sat (4/17) from 2.0 ft @ 15-16 secs (3.0-3.5 ft). Swell continues on Sun (4/18) at 2.0 ft @ 15 secs (3.0 ft). Swell fading on Mon (4/19) from 2.1 ft @ 15 secs (3.0 ft). Swell fading Tues (4/20) from 1.8 ft @ 14 secs (2.5 ft). Less swell on Wed (4/21) fading from 1.8 ft @ 14-15 secs early (2.0-2.5 ft). Dribbles on Thurs (4/22) fading from 1.6 ft @ 13-14 secs (2.0 ft). Swell Direction: 206 degrees moving to 195 degrees

North CA: Expect swell arrival on Tues (4/13) building to 1.5 ft @ 16-18 secs later (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell building Wed (4/14) to 1.9 ft @ 17-18 secs mid-day (3.0-3.5 ft). Swell getting more solid on Thurs (4/15) pushing 2.0 ft @ 16-17 secs mid-day (3.0-3.5 ft). Swell continues on Fri (4/16) at 1.8 ft @ 16 secs (2.5-3.0 ft). Swell fading some on Sat (4/17) from 1.9 ft @ 15-16 secs (3.0 ft). Swell continues on Sun (4/18) at 2.0 ft @ 15-16 secs (3.0 ft). Swell fading on Mon (4/19) from 1.8 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.5 ft). Swell fading Tues (4/20) from 1.8 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.5 ft). Less on Wed (4/21) fading from 1.6 ft @ 14 secs early (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 204 degrees moving to 190 degrees

 

South Pacific Animations: Jetstream - Surface Pressure/Wind - Sea Height - Surf Height

 

QuikCAST's

 

LONG-TERM FORECAST
Marine weather and forecast conditions 3-10 days into the future

North Pacific

Beyond 72 hours starting Wed PM (4/14) a small gale is forecast developing in an upper trough over the Northwestern Gulf producing 35+ kt northwest winds and seas building from 20 ft at 48N 161W aimed southeast. Fetch is to be fading from 30 kts on Thurs AM (4/15) from the northwest with seas fading from 19 ft at 46N 156W aimed southeast. This system is to dissipate from there. No meaningful swell to result.

 

South Pacific

Beyond 72 hours a gale is forecast developing in the deep South Central Pacific on Wed AM (4/14) producing 45-50 kt southwest winds and seas building to 30 ft at 65S 154W aimed east. In the evening a solid fetch of 45 kt southwest winds are to be pushing east with seas building to 34 ft at 63.5S 142.5W aimed east-northeast. On Thurs AM (4/15) southwest winds are to build in coverage at 40-45 kts over the Southeast Pacific with seas 34 ft lifting northeast at 61S 129.5W. In the evening fetch is to hold at 40 kts coming well from the southwest with seas 35 ft at 59S 120.5W aimed northeast on the eastern edge of the Southern CA swell window. On Fri AM (4/16) 30-35 kt south winds are to be over a large area aimed north with 33 ft seas at 118W 54.5S and barely in the SCal swell window aimed north. This system is to be east of the swell window and fading after that. Something to monitor.

 

 

MJO/ENSO Forecast

 

Strong Active MJO Still Building Over KWGA
Summary - A Kevin Wave continues pushing east nearly done squeezing the cold remains of La Nina from depth to the surface in the East Pacific. CFS Model indicates west anomalies to own the KWGA for the next 3 months.

MJO/ENSO Discussion
The Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a periodic weather cycle that tracks east along the equator circumnavigating the globe. It is characterized in it's Inactive Phase by enhanced trade winds and dry weather over the part of the equator it is in control of, and in it's Active Phase by slackening if not an outright reversing trade winds while enhancing precipitation. The oscillation occurs in roughly 20-30 day cycles (Inactive for 20-30 days, then Active for 20-30 days) over any single location on the planet, though most noticeable in the Pacific. During the Active Phase in the Pacific the MJO tends to support the formation of stronger and longer lasting gales resulting in enhanced potential for the formation of swell producing storms. Prolonged and consecutive Active MJO Phases in the Pacific help support the formation of El Nino. During the Inactive Phase the jet stream tends to split resulting in high pressure and less potential for swell producing storm development. Wind anomalies in the Kelvin Wave Generation Area (KWGA) are key for understanding what Phase the MJO is in over the Pacific. The KWGA is located on the equator from 135E-170W and 5 degs north and south (or on the equator from New Guinea east to the dateline). West wind anomalies in the KWGA suggest the Active Phase of the MJO in the Pacific, and east anomalies suggests the Inactive Phase. In turn the Active Phase strengthens and the Inactive Phase weakens the jetstream, which in turn enhances or dampens storm production respectively in the Pacific.And the El Nino/La Nino cycle (collectively know as ENSO - El Nino Southern Oscillation) is a less frequent (about once every 7 years) but more impactful cycle that affects world wide weather. Specifically, strong El Nino events promote storm production in the Pacific while La Nina events suppress storm production. These therefore have a significant impact on the production of swell and surf. The paragraphs below analyze the state of the MJO and ENSO in the Pacific and provide forecasts for upcoming activity (or inactivity depending on the state and interaction of these two oscillations).

Overview: A double dip La Nina occurred through the Winter of 2017-2018. Warming started building along the South and Central American coast in early March 2018 associated with two upwelling Kelvin Waves, and continued trying to build over equatorial waters over the Summer and Fall, but not enough to declare El Nino and not coupled with the atmosphere. In 2019, those warm waters were fading, and by August a tongue of cool water was tracking west on the equator from Ecuador over the Galapagos reaching to a point nearly south of Hawaii. A bit of a recovery tried to occur during Fall of 2019, with weak warm water building in the Nino 1.2 region, but cool water held in a pool off Peru. By April 2020 a cool pool was starting to build, forming a well defined cool tongue that looked like the start of La Nina, with it fully developing into La Nina in July 2020. We continue in the place in March 2021, but with a Kelvin Wave sweeping east late in March possibly signaling the demise of La Nina.

LONG-RANGE PACIFIC STORM AND SWELL GENERATION POTENTIAL FORECAST

Winter/Spring 2020/2021 = 3.0/3.5 (California & Hawaii) Rating based on a 1-10 scale: 1 being the lowest (small and infrequent surf conditions), 5 being normal/average, and 10 being extraordinary (frequent events of large, long period swells)

Rationale: It is assumed the PDO has moved to the warm phase in 2014 and that a weak borderline El Nino from 2018 faded out in the Fall of 2019. A La Nina like ocean temperature pattern developed in the equatorial East Pacific in the summer of 2019, then faded and returned to a neutral if not weak warm status during the Winter of 2019-2020 only to return stronger in the Summer of 2020. We have been suspecting a turn towards a La Nina like atmospheric pattern to develop in the late Winter/early Spring of 2020. Our best hope is that moderation from the warm phase of the PDO might tamp down development of a full blown La Nina as we move into 2020. But at this time that does not appear likely. Given all that, for the 2020 there is decent probability for development of La Nina meaning a reduced number of storm days and storm intensity during the summer season, resulting in a below normal level of swell, with swell being below normal duration and period. And by the Fall and early Winter of 2020/21, the number of storm days, intensity and duration of those storms should fade even more, resulting in depressed swell production. This pattern is expected to hold through the Spring of 2021.

KWGA/Equatorial Surface Wind Analysis & Short-term Forecast (KWGA - Kelvin Wave Generation Area - The area 5 degrees north and south of the equator from 170W to 135E)
Analysis (TAO Buoys): As of (4/9) 5 day average winds were strong from the east over the Eastern equatorial Pacific continuing strong east over the Central Pacific and moderate to strong east over the KWGA. Anomalies were light east over the East equatorial Pacific then neutral over the Central Pacific then modest easterly over the KWGA. (Note: These are 5 day average winds, so they lag what is happening today by about 2 days).
1 Week Forecast (GFS Model): No update - On (4/6) east anomalies were moderate over the dateline. West anomalies were light over the West KWGA with the dividing line at 170E. The forecast calls for east anomalies holding at moderate status and not moving until 4/11, then moving progressively east positioned well east of the dateline at the end of the model run on 4/13. Strong west anomalies are to start building on 4/7 at 150E and building stronger still through the end of the model run moving only slightly east to 160E.

Kelvin Wave Generation Area wind monitoring model: West and East

Longer Range MJO/WWB Projections:  
OLR Models: (4/9) A moderate Active MJO pattern was filling the KWGA. The statistic model projects a moderate Active MJO holding and filling the KWGA through day 10 of the model run, then losing some coverage while moving over the dateline and almost east of the KWGA on day 15 with the Inactive Phase moving into the far West KWGA. The dynamic model has the Active Phase holding while building over the KWGA and strong centered in the middle of it on day 15 of the model run. .
Phase Diagrams 2 week forecast (ECMF and GEFS): (4/10) The statistical model depicts the Active Phase was moderate over the West Pacific today and is to track east into the East Atlantic by day 15 of the model run and weak. The dynamic model suggests the Active Phase was over the West Pacific today at moderate strength and holding that position while slowly building to somewhat stronger moderate strength on day 15 of the model run.
40 day Upper Level Model (assumed to be a statistical mode and 1 week ahead of what is occurring at the surface): (4/9) The Active Phase (wet air) was over the West Pacific today and is to push east over Central America on 4/29. A solid Inactive Phase (dry air) is to move over the KWGA on 4/24 tracking east and moving over Central America on 5/9. A modest Active (wet air) is to push over the KWGA on 5/4 filling the Pacific at the end of the model run on 5/19.
4 Week CFS Model (850 mb wind): (4/9) This model depicts a coherent Active Phase of the MJO almost filling the KWGA producing solid west anomalies filling the KWGA east to 170E today. The forecast indicates the Active Phase is to continue building in from the west through 4/20 reaching 170E with west anomalies building to near strong status starting 4/11 and holding there filling the KWGA through 4/26. And even after that west anomalies are to take root over the KWGA filling it at moderate status through the end of the model run on 5/7. Theoretically we are at the start of the first real Active Phase of the MJO in a year.
3 Month CFS Model (850 mb wind): (4/10 - using the 4th/latest ensemble member): A dramatic upgrade is occurring in the KWGA today. This model depicts a moderate Active MJO signal building over the Western KWGA with modest west anomalies in play there. The forecast indicates it is to track east through the KWGA on 5/16 producing moderate to occasionally strong west anomalies filling the KWGA. This is to be the first real Active Phase in a year or more. A weak Inactive MJO is to follow 4/23-6/15 but with mostly modest to moderate west anomalies filling the KWGA. A new modest Active Phase is to start building in the west on 6/10 pushing east through the end of the model run on 7/8 with modest to moderate west anomalies and sometimes strong anomalies controlling the KWGA. Literally no east anomalies are forecast in the KWGA from here forward. The low pass filter indicates a high pressure bias is in control over the dateline filling the eastern KWGA but a low pressure bias was building over the West KWGA. The high pressure bias has 4 contour lines reaching east to a point south of California. The forth contour line is to fade on 4/11. The 3rd contour line is to fade on 5/5. The second contour line is to fade 5/25. The remaining 1 is to be shifting hard east starting 4/25 and losing coverage and no longer in the KWGA after 5/29. A single contour low pressure bias is over the Maritime Continent with it's leading edge pushing into the West KWGA today. It is to theoretically start shrinking in coverage from the west on 5/4 while tracking east to 180W and filling the KWGA by 6/10 while building to 2 contour lines. The strong Active Phase occurring now is to be the tipping point, and has been on this model for nearly 3 months. Still, it should only be strong enough to start pushing us to a neutral position long term though today's run of the model suggests something more favorable. East anomalies that were previously solid in the Indian Ocean for over a year migrated east into the West Pacific on 10/1/20 and stabilized there, but are theoretically starting a slow fade while migrating east moving to the a point south of California by 4/16 as the Active Phase dislodges them and then builds over the KWGA. Theoretically the end of La Nina is near (starting on 4/16).

CFSv2 3 month forecast for 850 mb winds, MJO, Rossby etc - Alternate link

Subsurface Waters Temps
TAO Array: (4/10) Today in the far West Pacific the 28 deg isotherm line was easing east solidly at 180W. The 24 deg isotherm was pushing the whole way across the equatorial Pacific and building in coverage and depth as compared to weeks prior in the East Pacific. Anomaly wise, warm anomalies +1-2 deg C have moved east reaching across the Pacific today and reaching the surface near 120W while pushing into Ecuador. A previous broad cool pool under the East Pacific was gone. The hi-res GODAS animation posted 4/3 indicates a dramatic improvement with warm anomalies moving east subsurface to 105W indicative of a Kelvin Wave poised to impact the far East Pacific and lurking just 30M below the surface at 110W. Negative anomalies in the East Pacific were the least negative at any time in months and getting shallower while getting squeezed to the surface by the Kelvin Wave. The GODAS animation appears to be 1 week behind the TAO data but also is more detailed and accurately modeled.
Sea Level Anomalies: (4/3) A dramatic improvement was occurring with sea heights near neutral (0 to -5 cms) over the entire equatorial Pacific with a pocket of positive anomalies extending from the far West Pacific over the dateline from there to 110W and almost continuous over that area. Negative anomalies were less than -5 cms along the coast of Peru and along the coast of Mexico up into California but neutral or even weakly positive from Ecuador to South Mexico. Looking at the big picture, negative anomalies had formed a massive triangle from Cape Mendocino to the intersection of the dateline and equator then into Southern Chile. But it was much weaker and much less defined and obvious than weeks and months past and was dramatically collapsing in it's heart over the equator as building ocean surface heights there. The end seems near for La Nina.

Surface Water Temps
The more warm water in the equatorial East Pacific means more storm production in the North Pacific during winter months (roughly speaking). Cold water in that area has a dampening effect. Regardless of what the atmospheric models and surface winds suggest, actual water temperatures are a ground-truth indicator of what is occurring in the ocean. All data is from blended infrared and microwave sensors.
Satellite Imagery
Hi-res Nino1.2 & 3.4: (4/9) The latest images indicate a stream of cool water was tracking west on the equator originating fairly solid along Peru then pushing west from Ecuador out to the Galapagos indicative of an upwelling event. Then a far weaker cool stream continued west on the equator from the Galapagos to 160W, weakening the further west one goes. Weak warm water was further off Peru and Central America. Cool anomalies were streaming from Chile west-northwest to the dateline also feeding the main cool pool and static in strength or maybe building slightly. Overall this seems to indicate the collapse of La Nina.
Hi-res 7 day Trend (4/9): Warming temps are indicated along Ecuador then fading to neutral or weak negative over the Galapagos, only to rebuild to a warming pattern from just west of the Galapagos west to a point south of Hawaii on the equator. We suspect upwelling of cool subsurface waters at depth being forced up by an approaching Kelvin Wave might nearly be over. Otherwise a neutral temperature trend was occurring on the equator but with slightly warming from 120W to the dateline.
Hi-res Overview: (4/9) A generic area of warm water was west of Peru and Central America. But cold water was still evident along the immediate Peru streaming up to Ecuador then tracking west on the equator coast to the Galapagos. But that flow was warming some compared to days past. Also a faint area of cool water was extending from off Chile tracking northwest to the equator out to the dateline and west to New Guinea but appears to be losing definition. A similar stream was migrating southwest from off Baja Mexico but holding. The remaining cool core of La Nina is pushing west on the equator from 120W over the dateline but warmer than days past. La Nina appears to be in retreat.
Nino1.2 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (4/10) Today's temps were rising slowly to -0.645 after bottoming out at -0.950 on 4/5, after peaking at +0.714 on 3/16. Temp previously peaked at +0.601 on 3/9 and that after a recent high of +0.100 on 2/1. Temps previously were -0.604 on 1/24. A previous peak of -0.595 occurred on 12/11. This area has been on a seesaw rising trend since early October. Temps were previously down to -2.138 on 8/13. The longterm trend has been on a slow but steady increase.
Nino 3.4 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (4/10) Temps were steady today at -0.236 after a recent peak of -0.185 on 3/27 after falling to-0.404 on 3/20 and that after peaking at -0.170 on 3/10, the highest in a year. Temps bottomed out at -1.654 on 11/3, rising to to -0.982 on 1/21. The previous low before that was -0.733 on 9/10. Temps were on a steady decline since 7/25 then bottomed out in late October and have been on a slow increase since.

CFSV2 Forecast for Nino3.4 Sea Surface Temp (SST) Anomalies & Current SST Anomalies

SST Anomaly Projections
CFSv2 Uncorrected Data (4/10) - Actuals per the model indicate temps bottomed out in early Nov at -1.25 degs then rose to -0.65 degs mid-Jan and up to -0.15 degs in March. The forecast depicts temps rising to normal +0.0 degs into June if not +0.1 degs, then starting a slow fade falling to -0.50 degs in early Aug falling steadily to -0.75 in Dec. This model now suggests a complete demise of La Nina starting now but then it resurging into Fall and early Winter. That seem highly unlikely at this point. But there is no sense of El Nino developing either. Of course we're still in the Spring Unpredictability Barrier, so no outcome is certain.
IRI Consensus Plume: The March 20, 2021 Plume depicts temps are at -0.50 degs today, and are to rise to -0.15 in June and stabilizing there through Nov. Most models are suggesting a moderate La Nina returning to Neutral in the late Spring of 2021.
See chart here - link.

Atmospheric Coupling (Indicating the presence of El Nino in the atmosphere driven by the ocean):
Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) (negative is good, positive bad - this is a lagging indicator) (4/10): The daily index was rising to +9.80. The 30 day average was rising slightly at +1.00 after falling to -2.15 on 3/24. It peaked at +19.51 on 1/14. The 90 day average was rising slightly at +6.81 after falling to 6.73 on 4/8. It peaked at +15.75 on 2/23 and clearly indicative of La Nina. This index is a lagging indicator.

Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Per NOAAs index recent values: Jan 2018 +0.29, Feb -0.19, Mar -0.61, April -0.89, May -0.69, June -0.85, July -0.09, Aug -0.43, Sept -0.46, Oct -0.75, Nov -0.78, Dec -0.12, Jan 2019 -0.18, Feb -0.50 Mar -0.23, April +0.10, May +0.14, June -0.11, July +0.44, Aug -0.14, Sept +0.05, Oct -0.96, Nov -0.28, Dec +0.01, Jan 2020 -1.17, This continues to look like the warm phase of the PDO. No consistently solid negative readings have occurred since Feb 2014
The Washington/JISAO index (Jan-Dec): Jan 2018 +0.70. Feb +0.37, Mar -0.05, April +0.11, May +0.11, June -0.04, July +0.11, Aug +0.18, Sept +0.09. No real negative readings have occurred since Dec 2013
The PDO turned from a 16 year negative run (Jan 98-Feb 2014) in early 2014 and has been positive ever since (other than a few months of negative readings in Fall 2016, the result of a turn towards La Nina). Looking at the long term record, it is premature to conclude that we have in-fact turned from the negative phase (La Nina 'like') to the positive phase (El Nino 'like'), but the data strongly suggests that could be a possibility. By the time it is confirmed (4-5 years out), we will be well into it.

See imagery in the ENSO Powertool 

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Powerlinessurf

Jeff Clark

Inside Mavericks

Local Interest
Stormsurf Video Surf Forecast for this week. See it Here
For automatic notification of forecast updates, subscribe to the Stormsurf001 YouTube channel - just click the 'Subscribe' button below the video.

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NBC News - Climate Change and Surfing: https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/climate-change-good-surfing-other-sports-not-so-much-ncna1017131

Mavericks & Stormsurf on HBO Sports with Bryant Gumbel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luQSYf5sKjQ

Pieces Featuring Stormsurf:
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/how-to-predict-the-best-surfing-waves-EsNiR~0xR5yXGOlOq2MqfA.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/surfs-up-for-mavericks-invitational-in-calif/

Time Zone Converter By popular demand we've built and easy to use time convert that transposes GMT time to whatever time zone you are located. It's ion left hand column on every page on the site near the link to the swell calculator.

Surf Height-Swell Height Correlation Table