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Pacific Storm and Surf Forecast
Updated: Saturday, May 3, 2014 5:42 PM
Buoys: Northern CA - Southern CA - Hawaii - Gulf of Alaska - Pacific Northwest
Buoy Forecast:
Northern CA - Southern CA - Hawaii - Gulf of Alaska - Pacific Northwest
Pacific Links:  Atmospheric Models - Buoy Data - Current Weather - Wave Models
Forecast Archives: Enter Here
A chronology of recent Mavericks Underground forecasts. Once you enter, just click on the HTML file forecast you want to review (e.g. 073199.html equals July 31, 1999). To view the maps that correspond to that forecast date, select the html file labeled 073199 maps.html
Swell Potential Rating = 2.0 - California & 2.0 - Hawaii
Using the 'Summer' Scale
(See Swell Category Table link at bottom of page)
Probability for presence of largest swells in near-shore waters of NCal, SCal or Hawaii.    

Issued for Week of Monday 5/5 thru Sun 5/11

Swell Potential Rating Categories
5 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Significant swell
4 = Good probability for 1-2 days of Significant swell
3 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Intermediate/Advanced swell
2 = Good probability for  1-2 days of
Intermediate/Advanced swell
1 = Good probability for 3 or more days of Impulse or Windswell
0 = Low probability for 1-2 days of Impulse or Windswell   

Two Gales Forecast for the South Pacific
The North Pacific is Poised to Shut Down

 

Swell Classification Guidelines

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.

 

PACIFIC OVERVIEW
Current Conditions
On Saturday
(5/3) in North and Central CA new Gulf swell was starting to hit producing waves in the 2-3 ft overhead range with and heavily textured but not unmanageable. Down in Santa Cruz limited swell was wrapping in producing waves in the waist to chest high range but pretty warbled and weak. In Southern California up north limited combo southern hemi swell and northwest windswell was producing waves in the thigh high range and lightly textured in the afternoon. Down south surf was waist high range and clean but generally pretty weak. Hawaii's North Shore was getting limited windswell with waves waist high on the sets and clean. The South Shore was flat. Exposed breaks on the East Shore were getting northeast windswell at maybe knee high and chopped from easterly trades.   

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

Meteorological Overview
A small cut-off gale was fading in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska producing 18 ft seas, down from it's peak of 22 ft seas 24 hours earlier. Windswell from it was starting to to Central CA. Also swell from an equal sized gale that formed on the dateline Thurs-Fri (5/2) with 22 ft seas was pushing towards Hawaii, and expected to arrive in the Islands on Sunday (5/4). Nothing else to follow with the North Pacific going to sleep. Down south a gale developed in the deep Southeast Pacific on Fri-Sat (5/3) with up to 36 ft seas right on the eastern edge of the SCal swell window, but mainly focusing on Southern Chile. Another small systems is forecast in the Southeast Pacific on Tues with 38 ft seas again mainly targeting Chile and Peru. There's also suggestions of something developing alongside of Eastern New Zealand on Fri (5/9) with 32 ft seas aimed well to the north. This would be the first such system in the Southwest Pacific this season if it forms possibly providing energy directed towards Hawaii.        

Details below...

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

North Pacific

Overview
Jetstream - On Saturday (5/3) the jetstream was flowing flat west to east on the 38N latitude with two small pockets of winds barely 140 kts. But there was a .cgiit over Japan peeling some energy off and directing it north up in to the Bering Sea, and stealing energy that otherwise could be used over the greater North Pacific towards Gale production. As a result, no trough of interest were occurring and no support for gale development as indicated in lower levels of the atmosphere. Over the next 72 hours more of the same is forecast. Beyond 72 hours no real change is forecast.The season is all but over for the North Pacific.

Surface Analysis  - On Saturday (5/3) no swell producing weather systems were occurring. Trades remained light over Hawaii at 15 kts or less. Over the next 72 hours no change is forecast with a.cgiacid pattern in control.

Previously..

A low pressure system developed over the dateline on Thurs AM (5/1) generating 30 kt northwest winds building to 35 kts in the evening with seas building to 20 ft at 40N 178W targeting Hawaii down the 320 deg path. Fetch faded from 35 kt Fri AM (5/2) with seas barely 24 ft at 38N 173W (321 degs HI). This system was gone by Friday evening. Limited 13 sec period northwest swell is expected for the lslands peaking later Sunday (5/4) afternoon at 5.6 ft @ 13 secs  (7 ft faces).  

Also a small gale developed in the Eastern Gulf on Thurs AM (5/10) generating a small area of 30-35 kt northwest winds building to 40 kt in the evening with seas building to 22 ft at 42N 143W (295 degs NCal). Fetch was fading from 35 kts Fri AM (5/2) with seas to 22 ft at 42N 141W (293 degs NCal). Residual westerly fetch hold into the evening at 30 kts with seas barely 19 ft at 44N 137W (303 degs NCal) then dissipating. Small windswell possible for Southern Oregon down into Pt Conception by the weekend if all goes as.cgianned.  For Northern CA swell arriving Sat afternoon (5/3) to 4 ft @ 13 secs (5 ft) holding Sun AM (5/4) at 5 ft @ 12-13 secs (6.0-6.5 ft) from 293 degrees 

 

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

Tropics
What was Tropical Depression Tapah located north-northeast of Guam has faded out. No other tropical systems of interest were being monitored or forecast.

California Nearshore Forecast
On Saturday AM (5/3) a low pressure system was pushing in to the Pacific Northwest with high pressure at 1024 mb northeast of Hawaii and trying to nose into Central CA. This was resulting in generally light winds over North CA but northwest winds to 20 kts near Pt Conception. Sunday a modest 10 kt westerly flow is forecast for North CA as the low moves fully inland over Oregon with north winds holding over Pt Conception. Light rain starting early in NCal working its way down to maybe Point Arena but not tracking any further south and holding into Mon AM. By late Monday high pressure and northwest winds are to start developing in earnest for all of California at 15+ kts lifting north some on Tuesday and covering all of North and Central CA at 20 kts early and 25 kts late. 20+ kt north winds are forecast for all of North and Central CA on Wed (5/7) fading slightly Thurs to 15+ kts. Friday the areal coverage of northwest winds is to decrease some but still holding at 15+ kts for Monterey Bay northward. Saturday northwest winds at 15 kts is to be limited to Northern CA (north of the Golden Gate) with light winds south of there.    

South Pacific

Overview
Jetstream - On Saturday (5/3) the southern branch of the jetstream was .cgiit with the important southern branch ridging south to a point just north of Antarctica and the Ross Ice Shelf over the West Pacific and actively suppressing gale formation in the West and Central Pacific then lifting northeast forming a bit of a trough over the extreme Southeast  Pacific with winds to 120 kts offering limited support for gale development but mainly limited to just off the coast of Southern Chile.  That same basic pattern is to hold for the next 72 hours but with the southern branch lifting north some and a better defined trough developing over the Southeast Pacific in the Southern CA swell window. 150 kts winds to be feeding up into this trough on Tues (5/6) helping to support low pressure development. Beyond 72 hours that trough is to push east and fade out by Thurs AM (5/8). But a new trough is to push hard north just east of New Zealand on Fri (5/9) providing some support for gale development there for 24 hours. The good news is that it is to push the jet north in that area, hopefully holding for a while.

Surface  -  On Saturday AM (5/3) a gale was circulating off Chile (see Chilean Gale below). Otherwise a weak pressure pattern was in.cgiay over the South Pacific. Over the next 72 hours a small low pressure system and fetch is to develop again in the South Pacific on Mon PM (5/5) with 45 kt winds pushing almost due north and starting to get traction on the oceans surface. 45-50 kt south-southwest winds to continue into Tues AM (5/6) with seas building to 30 ft at 51S 131W aimed at Southern CA up the 187 degree path. In the evening the fetch is to start loosing areal coverage but still 45 kt winds in.cgiay with seas peaking at 38 ft over a small area at 45S 121W (182 degs SCal). On Wed Am (5/7) the gale is to start fading with 32 ft seas out of the Southern CA swell window at 43S 115W targeting mainly Chile. If all goes as forecast perhaps a small but longer periods well could result for Central and Southern CA. Something to monitor.

Chilean Gale
On
Fri AM (5/2) a gale was developing in the Southeast Pacific with 45 kt southwest winds pushing northeast generating increasing seas. By the evening that fetch was lifting unobstructed to the northeast at 45 kts with seas 34 ft 60S 122W or barely on the 182 degree path into Southern CA with most energy targeting Chile. 45 kt winds continued tracking northeast Sat AM (5/3) with seas to 36 ft at 50S 108W but all be east of the Southern CA swell window targeting Chile. Low odds for some background swell pushing up into SCal, but most energy to be directed towards Chile. 

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 no swell producing weather systems are forecast.

MJO/ENSO Update
Note: The Madden Julian Oscillation 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 equatorial Pacific it is in control of, and in it's Active Phase by slack if not an outright reversal of trade winds and enhanced 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.cgianet. 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. During the Inactive Phase the jet stream tends to .cgiit resulting in high pressure and less potential for swell producing storm development. The paragraphs below analyze the state of the MJO in the Pacific and provide forecasts for MJO activity (which directly relate to the potential for swell production).

As of Saturday (5/3) the daily Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was down some at -7.95. The 30 day average was falling at 6.46 and the 90 day average was falling at -2.89. The near term trend based on the 30 day SOI was indicative of a neutral if not slightly Active Phase of the MJO. The longer term pattern was indicative of a neutral Phase of the MJO. The 30 day SOI was holding but well above the lowest point it's been since the El Nino of '09/10 and suggesting whatever occurred during the Jan-March timeframe (to push it negative) was over. The SOI tends to be a lagging indicator running a week behind surface level weather trends.  

Current equatorial surface wind analysis indicated light west anomalies were over the Maritime Continent reaching to the dateline. Light west anomalies continued from the dateline extending south of Hawaii then turned neutral from there into Central America. A week from now (5/11) modest east anomalies are expected to take hold over the Philippines and the Maritime Continent reaching to the dateline, turning neutral there and holding to a point south of Hawaii then turning light westerly over the Galapagos and into Central America. In all this suggests the Active Phase of the MJO is weakening in the West Pacific and is to fade while migrating east over the Eastern Pacific while the Inactive Phase builds over the far West Pacific. How strong and how long this Inactive Phase becomes presents a critical junction in the evolution of this potential 2014 warm event. With easterly anomalies forecast, transport of warm water to the east will cease. This would mark the first stoppage of warm water transport since the beginning of the year, potentially cutting the legs of the evolving warm water pool in the East Pacific.  

Previously a pattern of mult.cgie strong Westerly Wind Bursts occurred Jan-March, but then moderated in late March, but never gave way to a fully Inactive Phase (with no hint of easterly anomalies west of the dateline since at least Jan 1). This is great news with westerly anomalies in.cgiay for 4 full months. Longterm this signal (suppressed trades in the far equatorial West Pacific) will have to hold into at least August with warm water building greater than 0.5 deg C over the tropical East and Central Pacific (120W to 170W) before one could declare the development of El Nino. And there is much unknown as we traverse the Spring 'Unpredictability Pattern" (mid-March through early June). The whole pattern could collapse and return to a neutral pattern like last year. It's just too early to know. But the further into the unpredictability barrier we get, and with west anomalies continuing, the lower the likelihood of a total collapse becomes. A previous WWB created a large Kelvin Wave tracking towards South America in January (starting 1/8, peaking 1/28 then fading the first week of Feb) followed by a second strong WWB in Feb-Mar (as strong as the first one starting 2/15 and peaking 2/20-3/2 then fading 3/10) setting up and offering yet more reinforcing transport warm water east. And then a third weak westerly wind burst developed (starting 3/12 and faded out by 3/28). And a fourth weaker one started 4/7 and held through 4/20, and was strong enough to be considered a minimal Westerly Wind Burst WWB. As of right now this series of events is significant and is certainly something to monitor, but does not mean El Nino is in.cgiay. Still the pattern is something more than coincidental and strongly suggests some degree of pattern change has developed for the tropics. Of historical note: The big El Nino's of '82/32 and '97/98 both started forming in the February timeframe and progressed non-stop through the Summer and Fall months. A article presenting a Comparison between the genesis of the 1997 El Nino and this 2014 WWB event has been posted here.     

The longer range models (dynamic and statistical) run on 5/2 are in sync. They both suggest a very weak version of the Active Phase of the MJO was fading fast over the dateline and steadily loosing coverage. The Inactive Phase was building over the far West Pacific and is to push east peaking 5 days out. From there a slow and steady degradation is to settle in with the Inactive Phase almost gone 15 days out over the dateline. The ultra long range upper level model suggests a modest Inactive Phase was in control over the West Pacific and is to track east, pushing into Central America 5/23. Behind it a modest version of the Active Phase is to develop over the West Pacific 5/23 pushing towards the east reaching the East Pacific 6/10. A weak Inactive Phase to build behind it. So per this model there is to be effectively only this one Inactive Phase before we push out of the Spring Unpredictability Barrier. The weaker, the better. The upper level model tends to be a leading indicator, with surface level anomalies lagging behind 1 week or more.    

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.  As of the most recent imagery (5/1), a thin but building warm water regime has taken over the entire equatorial Pacific extending from Ecuador east over the Galapagos and ranging in the +0.5-1.0 deg C range with warmer pockets (3) in the +1.5 deg C range. Of most interest now is the development of a smaller warm pool between the Galapagos and Ecuador, building within the existing broader warm pool between the dateline and Ecuador, rising from +1.5 to +2.01 degs C over the past week. The most recent image from NOAA OSPO defines this area well and suggest the large Kelvin Wave that has been lurking just below the surface is starting to breech, between the Galapagos and Ecuador. Still a few more days of data are required to confirm this. The general warming pattern started in earnest on 3/29 and has been solidifying it's grasp every since. It would be best if it could increase its areal coverage 3-4 more degrees further south, especially in the area bound by from 90-140W, but as of now the trend is positive.  We have been expecting the arrival of a large Kelvin Wave in the East Pacific with a pronounced increase in surface anomalies over a short time span (which appears to be happening as of 5/1). We'll continue monitoring daily values to identify the exact arrival date. Elsewhere the entire North Pacific Ocean is full of warmer than normal water as is the West Pacific (north and south). There are no signs of high pressure induced upwelling streaming southwest off California either as would be expected for this time of year.  The only cool water present is streaming off Southern Chile pushing west almost reaching up to the equator, but getting shunted south by the warm water developing on the equator. Overall the total amount of warmer than normal water in the North Pacific is impressive. But all eyes remain on a potentially developing breech of warm water along the western coast of Ecuador that would announce the arrival of a massive Kelvin Wave currently positioned under the Central Equatorial Pacific.          

Subsurface waters temps on the equator remain impressive. Of great interest is a large area of warm +3-5 deg C above normal water in.cgiace and tracking east with it's core 150 meters down somewhere between 160W and 100W.  Current data suggests it's leading edge is just off the Ecuador coast at 80W (+6 deg C confirmed) and beyond the east most line of buoys in the TOA array (95W), right on the cusp of if not already erupting to the surface. Given the lack of sensors between 155W and 110W, exact details concerning the core further back remain sketchy, but the leading edge waters temps are not in doubt. Regardless, a large Kelvin Wave has been generated by 24 days of modest to strong westerly anomalies west of the dateline in January (a Westerly Wind Burst) and reinforced by a second WWB in Feb-Mar with yet a third in March with trades suppressed since then. And yet a 4th but weaker WWB developed in April. The hope is the Kelvin Wave under the mid equatorial Pacific will fuel to what is the start of at least a small warm event. The Kelvin Wave has also been confirmed via satellite in the form of increased surface water heights at +10 cm (one small pocket at + 15 cm just west of the Galapagos on 4/23), suggesting warm water at depth is di.cgiacing the surface upwards. Surface heights have rebounded some on the dateline but are falling between 170W to 150W, suggesting the core of the warm water pool is now migrating into the East Pacific. 

Based on previous history the evolution pattern would follow this general pattern: This large Kelvin Wave will erupt along the South American coast, and the increase in water temps should reduce trades above it (by reducing surface air pressure), which in turn could support yet more warm water building (heated by the sun and through reduced upwelling). Aided by yet another WWB in the West Pacific and more eastward moving warm subsurface water, a feedback loop could develop, reinforcing the warm water flow and buildup off Central America into the Fall. But we're a long ways from that occurring just yet. What is needed is another Westerly Wind burst or at least continued westerly anomalies.  Anything that reduces or suppresses trades in the equatorial West Pacific will suffice to continue the transport mechanism. So out-and-out west surface winds are not required. Anything that reduced trades in the east (like increasing water temps) will continue to stabilize the warm pool that is hopefully evolving there.

Projections from the CFSv2 model run 5/3 have increased some. The model had been continuously suggesting some form of warming starting in March 2014 (which did occur) with temps reaching +0.5 in the Nino 3.4 zone by April 1 (also occurred). It now suggests water temps building to +1.0 deg C by early July peaking now at +1.75 deg C by Nov 2014. Our guess is that some form of El Nino warning could be declared in the late May/early June timeframe if all stays on track. For reference, the big El Nino of '82/83 was at +2.0 degs and '97/98 was +2.2 degs at their respective peaks). The El Nino of 09/10 was +1.4 degs. 

Overall the immediate outlook remains unchanged, but potentially trending towards something that would be considered warm by June-July 2014, assuming one is to believe the models and the subsurface water configuration. At a minimum the ocean is in recharge mode, with cold water from the 2010-2011 La Nina dispersed and temperatures on the rise in fit's-and-starts. Regardless of the WWBs etc, we are in a neutral ENSO atmospheric pattern at this time with neither any form of El Nino or La Nina present or imminent. Given all current signs, warming could start developing by May in earnest over the equatorial Pacific possibly increasing during the summer, intensifying into Fall. Monitoring the affects when and if the Kelvin Wave arrives along the equatorial East Pacific will be key to the potential evolution of a warm event. Still there remains 6 months ahead where any number of hazards could derail this event. But this is a better.cgiace than previous years (2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013) under the direct influence of La Nina. And it seems apparent we've finally recovered from the 2009-2010 El Nino. In a normal situation one would expect there to be at least one or two years of neutral temperatures ultimately converging in a stronger warmer pattern and possible El Nino 2-3 years out (2015 or 2016). Historically, this is the 'normal' pattern (a few years of false starts post La Nina before a legit El Nino forms). We've turned the corner, but it is still unknown what impact it will have on the atmosphere especially in light of what appears to be a decadal bias towards a cooler regime (since 1998).

See imagery in the ENSO Powertool and more details in the  El Nino Update Updated 12/4/13 

See a 'Comparison between the genesis of the 1997 El Nino and the 2014 WWB Event' Here  (posted 4/5/2014)  

 

South Pacific

Beyond 72 hours the models suggest a gale forming due south of New Zealand on Fri AM (5/9) with 50-55 kt south winds in the far Southeast Pacific starting to generate a small area of 30 ft seas just barely clear of the Ross Ice Shelf imbedded in a larger area of 26 ft seas reaching up to New Zealand. In the evening that fetch is to push north with seas building to 32 ft or so in two areas generally on the 197 degree path to Hawaii and the 211+ degree path to California and unshadowed by Tahiti. The fetch is to start fading from 35-40 kts on Sat AM (5/10) with 28 ft seas over a large area aimed northeast with on path of seas to 38 ft at 53S 175E (216 degs CA, 218 degs HI). This fetch and seas production to continue into the evening with seas fading from 32 ft. It's something to monitor but nothing more. 

Details to follow...

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External Reference Material: El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), Kelvin Wave

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