Wednesday’s Surf – Cleaner but with a lot of windswell

Wednesday will be a pretty good surf day at the more protected spots. The expose breaks will be a bit sloppy with both shape and increasing afternoon winds becoming a problem.

In the water we will have a mix of WNW wind/groundswell coming off that little storm that rolled over us the last couple of days. The swell periods make it look like a longer-period windswell (around 10-seconds or so) but it is actually a combo of fading longer-period WNW swell and the steeper local NW windswell. There is also a touch of S-SW swell holding in the background and occasionally crossing up the WNW energy at the combo breaks.

Wave heights will still be healthy at the NW facing beaches. The more open spots will be running about head high to overhead surf fairly consistently and some bigger sets going a few feet overhead at times. Shape is likely to be a bit lumpy thanks the stacked up nature of the swell…look for the best surf at spots that like the windswell swell-periods.

The protected spots in Santa Cruz and along the Central Coast will be smaller but much more organized. Look for waist-chest high+ surf through the morning high tide and then some shoulder-head high sets sneaking through on the low tide later in the day.

Winds look better on Wednesday. Most areas will have light N-NW winds around 10-15 knots through the morning. Central Coast (and Santa Cruz) areas will have N-NW winds around 5 knots through the morning. All areas see building NW winds 10-20+ knots by the afternoon.

I think that your best bet, again, is going to be the more protected areas. They will be a lot cleaner and even though they will be smaller than the more exposed breaks they will still have some healthy sets. The high tide in the morning is a bit problematic but if you can stall your session for a couple of hours past the dawn patrol you will see better shape and better consistency.

Friday’s Surf – Still a few fun lumpy ones

Friday will be a decent surf day…but expect some semi-lumpy shape at the more exposed breaks thanks to the windswell.

In the water we will have a mix of WNW windswell (300+) and some very small SW swell. Most exposed breaks will be in the chest-head high range while the standout beach breaks, mostly near SF, will have some larger sets.

Santa Cruz areas will be smaller…mostly knee-chest high at the average breaks…maybe a touch larger at the top spots.

Winds and weather are looking good for the morning. Look for N-NE winds around 5-15 knots for both SF and Santa Cruz during the dawn patrol. NW winds in the 10-20 knot range build in through the afternoon.

If you are surfing tomorrow you will have to make a bit of a compromise…size for shape. The bigger beach breaks will be on the lumpy side with mostly dumpy windswell shape. The more protected spots, points and reefs, will be smaller but more organized. You just basically have to pick your poison.

Tides may be an issue as well…there is a -.5 low that hits around 9:45-10am that will drain out a lot of spots…try and plan around it if you can, either early morning or lunchtime would be good times to check it.