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BUOY ROUNDUP
On Saturday, May 29, 2021 :

• Buoy 233 (Pearl Harbor Entrance)/Buoy 239 (Lanai): Seas were 3.3 ft @ 14.3 secs with swell 2.2 ft @ 14.7 secs from 178 degrees. Water temp 78.1 degs (Pearl Harbor 233), 78.4 (Lani 239).
• Buoy 106 (Waimea): Seas were 2.4 ft @ 11.1 secs with swell 1.4 ft @ 10.8 secs from 322 degrees. Water temp 77.7 degs.
• Buoy 46025 (Catalina RDG): Seas were 3.9 ft @ 15.9 secs with swell 1.7 ft @ 15.4 secs from 236 degrees. Wind at the buoy was north at 6-8 kts. Water temperature 61.3 degs, 63.5 (Topanga 103), 61.5 degs (Long Beach 215), 66.7 (Del Mar 153), 63.1 (Pt Loma 191). At Harvest Buoy (071) primary swell was 5.6 ft @ 6.6 secs from 304 degrees. At Santa Monica (028) swell was 2.1 ft @ 15.6 secs from 210 degrees. At Oceanside (045) swell was 2.0 ft @ 15.6 secs from 209 degrees. Southward at Point Loma (191) swell was 2.0 ft @ 15.0 secs from 193 degrees.
• Buoy 46012 (Half Moon Bay)/029 (Pt Reyes): Seas were 7.7 ft @ 11.8 secs with swell 3.9 ft @ 11.7 secs from 297 degrees. Wind at the buoy (012) was northwest at 12-18 kts. Water temp 49.6 (029), 54.7 degs (SF Bar 142) and 55.6 degs (Santa Cruz 254).

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 (5/29) North and Central CA had waves at chest to shoulder high and junky and lumpy and mushed with poor form. Protected breaks were chest to shoulder high and lined up and fairly clean and closed out early. At Santa Cruz surf was waist to chest high and clean and lined up but inconsistent. In Southern California/Ventura waves were thigh to maybe waist high and junky and mushed with poor form though local winds were calm. Central Orange County had set waves at chest to maybe head high and lined up coming from the south with good form and fairly clean but with south winds starting to blow early. South Orange County's best summertime breaks had sets at chest high and lined up but nearly trashed from south wind early. North San Diego had sets waves at waist to near chest high and pretty lumpy and crumbled early. Hawaii's North Shore was flat and clean early. The South Shore was still getting small waves with sets waist to maybe chest high and lined up with decent form and an east texture on it. The East Shore report was not available.

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

Meteorological Overview
On Saturday (5/29) California was getting swell from a gale that developed under New Zealand on Tues (5/18) then tracked slowly east with seas building to 34 ft on Wed (5/19) then faded slowly on Thurs (5/20) with seas dropping from 26 ft aimed northeast. Some sideband swell from this system was still hitting Hawaii too. And another swell is pushing north associated with a small gale that formed in the upper reaches of the Southeast Pacific on Wed-Thurs (5/27) with up to 38 ft seas aimed northeast with 28-30 ft seas lingering into Fri (5/28). Beyond that virtually nothing is on the charts.

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
Surface Analysis
On Saturday (5/27) swell from a small gale that developed on the Dateline was pushing towards Hawaii (see Dateline Gale below).

Over the next 72 hours no swell producing weather systems of interest are forecast.

Dateline Gale
A small gale started developing Wed PM (5/26) west of the Dateline producing 45 kt west winds with seas building from 21 ft at 44.75N 169E aimed east. On Thurs AM (5/27) fetch was fading from 40 kts over a broader area approaching the dateline with seas 28 ft at 46.5N 176E aimed east. In the evening 30 kt northwest winds were moving over the North Dateline with seas 22 ft at 49N 178.5W aimed southeast. On Fri AM (5/28) residual 30 kt west fetch is to be fading just east of the dateline with seas 18 ft at 47.5N 179W aimed southeast. No additional fetch occurred after that. Some small swell is radiating southeast towards Hawaii.

Oahu: Rough data suggests swell arrival late on Sun (5/30) building to 1.7 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell building slightly on Mon (5/31) at 2.2 ft @ 12 secs later (2.5 ft). Core swell arrival on Tues (6/1) pushing 3.5 ft @ 11 secs (3.5-4.0 ft). Swell fading on Wed (6/2) from 3.1 ft @ 10-11 secs (3.0 ft). Swell all but gone after that. Swell Direction: 330 degrees

 

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

 

Tropical Update
No tropical systems of interest are occurring nor forecast.

California Nearshore Forecast

• Sun (5/30) northwest winds are forecast at 20-25 kts for North CA early and 20 kts south of there but mainly off the coast with 15 kt winds nearshore holding all day. Continued windswell production.
• Mon (5/31) northwest winds are forecast at 25-30 kts limited to Pt Arena northward early and northwest 10 kts for Central CA fading to 5 kts if not turning south and holding all day. Windswell fading slightly.
• Tues (6/1) northwest winds are to be 20+ kts off Cape Mendocino and south 5 kts south of there early and fading to barely 20 kts off Cape Mendocino later. Windswell fading.
• Wed (6/2) northwest winds are forecast at 20 kts limited to Pt Arena early and light 5 kts south of Pt Arena early holding all day. No windswell production forecast.
• Thurs (6/3) northwest winds are forecast at 20 kts limited to the area between Pt Reyes and Pt Arena early and northwest 10+ kts south of there building to 15+ kts over all of North and Central CA later. No windswell production forecast.
• Fri (6/4) northwest winds are forecast at 20-25 kts for North CA early and 20 kts down to Pt Conception early fading to 15 kts over Central CA later with windswell production minimal.
• Sat (6/5) northwest winds are to be building over North CA at 25-30 kts mid-day and 10 kts for Central CA with windswell production on the increase.

Total snow accumulation for the next 10 days respectively for Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood and Mammoth at 0, 0, 0, and 0 inches respectively.

Freezing level 12,000 ft on 5/29 holding then rising to 14,000 ft or greater on 5/31 and holding till 6/6, falling then to 8,500 ft.

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

 

South Pacific

Overview
Jetstream
On Saturday (5/29) the influential southern branch of the jet was very weak with winds 60-70 kts tracking east down at 63S southeast of New Zealand and ridging south from there into Antarctica over the Southeast Pacific offering no support for gale development. Over the next 72 hours no change is forecast with a very weak jetstream pattern forecast and if anything, getting weaker. Beyond 72 hours starting late Wed (6/2) the southern branch of the jet over the Southwest Pacific is to get a little more wind energy in it but all falling hard southeast over the Ross Ice Shelf on Thurs (6/3) offering no support for gale development continuing into Sat (6/5). A complete collapse of the gale pattern in the Southern Hemisphere looks likely to result.

Surface Analysis
On Saturday (5/29) swell from a weak gale that tracked under New Zealand was fading in Hawaii and just past it's peak in California (see Southwest Pacific Gale below). Another tiny swell was tracking north towards HI from a small gale previously southeast of New Zealand (see Tiny New Zealand Gale below). And the last swell in what has been a long series is tracking northeast towards South America and up into California from a gale previously in the upper reaches of the far Southeast Pacific (see Southeast Pacific Gale below).

Over the next 72 hours no swell producing weather systems are forecast.

 

Southwest Pacific Gale
A small gale developed just under New Zealand on Mon PM (5/17) producing 35-40 kt southwest winds over a small area and seas 28 ft at 50S 166.5E aimed east but mostly shadowed by Southern New Zealand relative to HI and CA. On Tues AM (5/18) southwest winds were free and clear of New Zealand at 40 kts from the southwest over a small area with 27 ft seas at 49.5S 171E aimed northeast. Fetch was fading in the evening from 35-40 kts from the southwest with seas fading from 28 ft at 47S 179W aimed northeast. On Wed AM (5/19) secondary fetch was building in the same area lifting hard north at 45 kts from the south over a small area with seas 32 ft at 47.5S 170.5W aimed northeast. Fetch to be fading while pushing hard northeast in the evening at 40 kts over a broad area with seas 32 ft at 43.25S 162.5W aimed northeast. On Thurs AM (5/20) fetch was fading from 35 kts aimed northeast with seas fading from 27 ft at 42.5S 155W aimed northeast. In the evening fetch is to hold while pushing east at 30-35 kts with seas 25 ft at 42S 150W aimed northeast. On Fri AM (5/21) fetch dissipated. Small swell to result.

Southern CA: Swell holding on Sat (5/29) at 1.9 ft @ 15 secs (2.5-3.0 ft). Swell fading some on Sun (5/30) from 1.9 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.5-3.0 ft). Dribbles on Mon (5/31) fading from 1.6 ft @ 13-14 secs (2.0 ft). Swell Direction: 200-210 degrees

North CA: Swell holding on Sat (5/29) at 2.0 ft @ 15 secs (3.0 ft). Swell fading some on Sun (5/30) from 2.0 ft @ 14-15 secs (2.5-3.0 ft). Dribbles on Mon (5/31) fading from 1.7 ft @ 14 secs (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 198-208 degrees

 

Tiny New Zealand Gale
A gale developed southeast of New Zealand Sun PM (5/23) producing 45 kt south winds with seas building from 24 ft at 57S 175W aimed northeast. On Mon AM (5/24) southwest winds were still 40-45 kts with seas 29 ft at 59.5S 161W aimed northeast. Fetch faded in the evening from 30-35 kts with seas seas fading from 25 ft at 59.25S 155W aimed northeast. This system was gone after that. Low odds of any swell resulting.

Hawaii: Small swell arriving on Wed (6/2) pushing 1.3 ft @ 15-16 secs later (2.0 ft). Swell peaking on Thurs AM (6/3) at 1.8 ft @ 14 secs (2.5 ft). Residuals fading on Fri (6/4) from 1.3 ft @ 12-13 secs (1.5 ft). Swell Direction: 181 degrees

California: Whatever swell arrives in CA is to be buried in potentially stronger swell arriving from the Southeast Pacific.

 

Southeast Pacific Gale
A gale developed in the upper latitudes of the Southeast Pacific on Wed AM (5/26) producing 40-50 kt south winds over a tiny area with seas building from 21 ft at 35S 137W aimed northeast. In the evening 55-60 kt south to southwest winds built producing 38 ft seas at 34.25S 128.25W aimed northeast. On Thurs AM (5/27) the gale was holding with 45-55 kt southwest winds tracking east and seas 39 ft at 33.25S 120.25W aimed northeast. In the evening the gale was falling south fast with 35-45 kt southwest winds and 36 ft seas at 39.25S 116.5W aimed northeast and east of the CA swell window but with a secondary fetch 35-40 kts over a solid area from the southwest with seas 26 ft at 41S 130.5W aimed northeast. On Fri AM (5/28) 35-45 kt west and southwest winds held position with seas 30 ft at 44S 120W aimed mostly east. In the evening the gale held position producing south and southwest winds at 30-35 kts aimed northeast with seas 26-28 ft at 43.5S 120W aimed northeast. On Sat (5/29) south winds were fading from 35 kts with seas 24 ft at 50S 135W aimed north. Fetch and seas fading fast from there. Some swell is radiating north towards the US West Coast.

Southern CA: Expect swell arrival on Tues (6/1) pushing 1.4 ft @ 18-19 secs late (2.0-2.5 ft). Swell building through the day on Wed (6/2) reaching 2.4 ft @ 16 secs later (3.5 ft). Swell to start peaking on Thurs (6/3) at 3.0 ft @ 14-15 secs late AM (4.0-4.5 ft). Swell holding through the day Fri (6/4) at 3.1 ft @ 14-15 secs (4.5 ft). Swell fading on Sat (6/5) from 2.7 ft @ 14 secs (3.5-4.0 ft). Swell fading on Sun (6/6) from 2.4 ft @ 14 secs (3.0-3.5 ft). Residuals on Mon (6/7) fading from 2.2 ft @ 13-14 secs (3.0 ft). Dribbles on Tues (6/8) fading from 2.0 ft @ 12-13 secs (2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 190 degrees

North CA: Expect swell arrival on Wed (6/2) reaching 2.2 ft @ 16-17 secs later (3.5 ft). Swell to peak on Thurs (6/3) at 3.1 ft @ 14-15 secs later (4.5 ft). Swell holding through the day Fri (6/4) at 3.0 ft @ 15 secs (4.5 ft). Swell fading on Sat (6/5) from 2.8 ft @ 14-15 secs (4.0 ft). Swell fading on Sun (6/6) from 2.2 ft @ 14 secs (3.0 ft). Residuals on Mon (6/7) fading from 1.9 ft @ 13-14 secs (2.5 ft). Dribbles on Tues (6/8) fading from 2.0 ft @ 13 secs (2.5 ft). Swell Direction: 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 no swell producing fetch is forecast.

 

South Pacific

Beyond 72 hours no swell producing fetch is forecast.

 

 

MJO/ENSO Forecast

 

Weak Active MJO Trying to Set Up - ENSO Neutral In Control
Summary - A combination of 2 Kevin Waves was poised to erupt along Ecuador. The forecast suggests continued west anomalies in 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

Spring/Summer 2021 = 4.0/3.5 (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 that the moderate La Nina from the Winter of 2020/2021 is on the wane and that a return to neutral ENSO state will set up over the Pacific Basin through the summer of 2021. But lingering effects of La Nina are forecast to continue over the Pacific for some time as the upper atmospheric circulation slowly transitions to an ENSO neutral state. This scenario tend to favor the Southeast Pacific, therefore favoring California over Hawaii. To counter that is the forecasted movement of the low pressure bias currently in-flight from the Maritime Continent to the West Pacific over the next 3 months. Still it will take some time for the atmosphere to fully respond, resulting in a slightly less than normal swell production forecast. A somewhat reduced number of storm days and storm intensity is expected as compared to normal over the South Pacific during the early summer season, resulting in a below normal level of swells, with swell being below normal duration and period. But by the Fall and early Winter of 2021/22, the number of storm days, intensity and duration of those storms should start improving as La Nina fades out. The status of the PDO is not known, though it appears to be returning to at least a neutral state, rather than the warm phase as previously projected thereby having no significant positive or negative effect on the long term outlook.

KWGA/Equatorial Surface Wind Analysis (KWGA - Kelvin Wave Generation Area - The area 5 degrees north and south of the equator from 170W to 135E)
Analysis (TAO Buoys): As of (5/28) 5 day average winds were strong from the east over the Eastern equatorial Pacific then strong east east over the Central Pacific and strong east over the East KWGA fading to moderate east over the West KWGA. Anomalies were neutral over the East equatorial Pacific and light east over the Central Pacific and light east over the East KWGA and neutral over the western portion. (Note: These are 5 day average winds, versus realtime, so they lag what is happening today (by about 2 days).
1 Week Forecast (GFS Model): On (5/29) moderate west anomalies were filling the west half of the KWGA and moderate to strong east anomalies were filling the east portion of the KWGA mainly on the dateline and also filling the Central equatorial Pacific. The forecast calls for moderate west anomalies holding over the Western KWGA till 6/2 then fading to weak status then rebuilding on 6/4 and holding through the end of the model run on 6/5. East anomalies are to hold at moderate to strong status focused on the dateline and getting smaller in coverage limited to just that area at the end of the model run.

Kelvin Wave Generation Area wind monitoring model: West and East

MJO/WWB/Wind Projections:  
OLR Models: (5/28) A neutral MJO pattern was indicated over the planet today. The statistic model projects no real change with perhaps a weak Inactive Phase trying to develop over the far West KWGA on days 5 and 10 only to dissipate on day 15. The dynamic model projects an Active Phase developing over the KWGA at day 5 building to moderate status filling the KWGA at days 10 and 15.
Phase Diagrams 2 week forecast (ECMF and GEFS): (5/29) The statistical model depicts the Active Phase was exceedingly weak over the West Pacific today and is to stay there for the next 15 days. The dynamic model suggests the Active Phase is to build to weak status holding over the West Pacific on days 2 through 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): (5/28) A weak Active Phase (wet air) was over the KWGA today and is to push east into Central America on 6/7. A weak Inactive Phase (dry air) is to be building over the KWGA on 6/7 pushing east to the East Pacific and over Central America on 7/7. A new modest Active Phase is to build in the west on 6/25 moving to the Central Equatorial Pacific at the end of the model run on 7/7.
4 Week CFS Model (850 mb wind): (5/28) This model depicts the Active Phase of the MJO was over the West KWGA today with moderate plus strength west anomalies mostly filling the West KWGA. Solid east anomalies were on the dateline and filling the Eastern Pacific. The forecast indicates west anomalies holding and filling the West KWGA at moderate status through the end of the model run on 6/25. East anomalies are to hold on the dateline from 155E and points east of there holding through the end of the model run.
3 Month CFS Model (850 mb wind): (5/29 - using the 4th/latest ensemble member): The Active phase of the MJO was building over the West KWGA. Weak west anomalies were filling the KWGA. The forecast indicates the Active Phase of the MJO is to building over and filling the KWGA through 6/14 then holding into 7/16 with weak west anomalies reaching about to the dateline through 7/18. East anomalies are to be just east of the dateline and filling the Central and East Pacific over this duration. A weak Inactive Phase develops 7/4 over the KWGA into 7/25 but weak west anomalies are to prevail in the KWGA. A new Active Phase is to be moving into the far West KWGA on 7/19 holding into 8/12 with west anomalies holding in the KWGA east to the dateline. A neutral MJO pattern to follow through the end of the model run on 8/25 with mostly weak west anomalies in control. East anomalies are to hold from the dateline eastward through the model run but no significant east anomalies are forecast in the confines of the KWGA moving forward. The low pass filter indicates a high pressure bias is in control over the Central Pacific filling the eastern KWGA but a low pressure bias was over the West KWGA filling the western half of it to 150E. The high pressure bias has 2 contour lines reaching east to a point south of the Southwest US. The second contour line is to fade 6/8. The remaining 1 is to be shifting steadily east and losing coverage and no longer in the KWGA by 6/30. A single contour low pressure bias is over the Maritime Continent with it's leading edge half way through the KWGA (at 150E) today. The east edge of the low pressure bias is to track east reaching 165E on 6/15 and holding there for the foreseeable future. We are moving to a neutral ENSO position. East anomalies that have been solid over the KWGA since 10/1/20 are fading and have now migrating east of the KWGA with no return in sight, instead focused over the East Pacific (from the dateline east to a point south of California - aka the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge). The end of La Nina is here according to NOAA.

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

Subsurface Waters Temps
TAO Array: (5/29) Today in the far West Pacific the 28 deg isotherm line was backtracking slightly at 154W. The 24 deg isotherm was pushing the whole way across the equatorial Pacific and was 100 meters deep at 140W. Anomaly wise, warm anomalies +1 deg C were filling the West Pacific indicative of a Kelvin Wave pushing east. +2 deg anomalies were filling the East Pacific from 140W and points east of there pushing near the surface at 110W but just 5 meters under it and holding that way into Ecuador. No cool anomalies were indicated. The hi-res GODAS animation posted 5/23 indicates much the same with warm anomalies moving east subsurface to Ecuador indicative of a Kelvin Wave just starting to impact the far East Pacific and just below the surface from 120W and points east of there. Negative anomalies in the East Pacific were all but gone with residuals getting squeezed to the surface by the Kelvin Wave near Peru. The GODAS animation appears to be 1 week behind the TAO data but also is more detailed and accurately modeled.
Sea Level Anomalies: (5/23) A slight decrease in sea heights was indicated with readings 0 to +5 cms over the entire equatorial Pacific but not continuous like before. No negative anomalies were present on the equator or along the coasts of Peru, Central America and up to Baja Mexico or Southern California. The massive cold triangle that had previously formed over the equator is gone. The demise of La Nina is occurring now.

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: (5/28) The latest images indicate neutral to weakly warm water temps on the equator across the width of the Pacific except one pocket of weakly negative anomalies just west of the Galapagos and even that was fading. A previous upwelling event (cool anomalies) was along Peru but getting steadily weaker. A pocket of warm water was off Ecuador and Central America up to Southern Baja. Another weak pocket of warm water was off Chile and outer waters off Southern Peru. Overall this seems to indicate the late stages of La Nina.
Hi-res 7 day Trend (5/28): A neutral temperature trend was along Peru and Ecuador out to the Galapagos. The same continued from Galapagos out to the dateline. There was no clear signs of an upwelling warm water event (yet).
Hi-res Overview: (5/28) Weakly warmer than normal waters were on the equator from Ecuador to the dateline. Elsewhere a generic area of warm water was west of Central America. A mix of generic cool and warm water was west of Peru. A very weak area of cool water was along the immediate coast of Peru and fading fast. La Nina appears to be in retreat but not gone.
Nino1.2 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (5/29) Today's temps were steady at -0.608 after being in the -0.75 range since early April. Before that temps peaked at +0.714 on 3/16. The longterm trend has been stable.
Nino 3.4 Daily CDAS Index Temps: (5/27) Today temps were rising slightly at -0.024 after peaking at +0.071 on (5/20), beating the previous peak high of +0.040 on 5/3, the highest in a year. Temps previously had been steady near -0.222 since early March. Temps bottomed out at -1.654 on 11/3, rising to to -0.982 on 1/21. Temps are on a steady increase.

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

SST Anomaly Projections
CFSv2 Uncorrected Data (5/29) - Actuals per the model indicate temps have been steadily rising from early Nov at -1.25 degs up to to -0.25 degs in mid-May. The forecast indicates temps rising to -0.05 degs in late June holding into mid-July, then starting a slow decline falling to -0.50 degs in mid-Oct and holding to mid-Jan before rising to -0.20 degs in early Feb 2022. This model suggests a demise of La Nina with an ENSO neutral trend beyond biased slightly negative. There is no sense that El Nino will develop. We're still in the Spring Unpredictability Barrier, so no outcome is certain.
IRI Consensus Plume: The May 20, 2021 Plume depicts temps are at -0.14 degs today, and are to rise to 0.00 in Sept e and stabilizing there through Jan 2022. Most models are suggesting were are nearly normal now and are to hold there into the early months of 2022.
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) (5/29): The daily index was falling at -11.70. The 30 day average was falling to +4.55, previously down to o +0.02 on 4/26, and that after peaking at +19.51 on 1/14. The 90 day average was falling slightly to +1.62, up slightly from its lowest in a year on 5/25 at +1.55. The 90 day average peaked at +15.75 on 2/23 (clearly indicative of La Nina then). 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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Powerlines

Jeff Clark

Inside Mavericks

Local Interest
Stormsurf Video Surf Forecast for this week. See it Here
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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