NORCAL FOCUS
Surf Reports _ Surf Forecasts _ Weather/Conditions Forecasts _ Swell Models
Buoys _ Winds _ Tides _ Tools _ Learning _ Environment _ Community _ My Photos
BIG Ocean Beach, 12/2004
Surf Reports:
SurfPulse - The Best O.B. Report, a realistic and honest first-hand account
Surfline - Lot's of Cams and Reports (which are often wrong, espcially in NorCal).
Wetsand - Overview Report, not great, but not bad either
Surf Forecasts:
The best shot you have for accuracy is reviewing all of these forecasts and interpreting them based on your past experiences and preferred surf spots. I find that keeping a journal of my surf sessions and logging conditions is extremely beneficial in my own interpretation of forecasts and buoy data.
Download my Wavelog template, make x number of copies at kinkos, get it bound, and you have a great, cheap tool.
StormSurf - Mark Sponsler deserves some recognition.
Detailed Forecast is by far the most comprehensive, accurate, realistic, and trustworthy you will find anywhere.
StormSurf QuikCast - A day-by-day overview of the NorCal or SoCal swell schedule. Quick, easy, and accurate.
Surfline - NorCal and SoCal Forecasts, plus others. Overhyped, Overmarketed, and can not be counted on. Typically they overestimate swells, except for San Francisco area, where they consistently underestimate surf heights.
NWS / NCDDC Collaborative Hawaii Surf Forecast - Excellent, Detailed Info for Hawaii, and a look ahead to NW swells for California
Weather / Conditions Forecasts:
NWS Marine Weather Forecast for NorCal and SoCal
Current Fog Coverage Satellite Images
Swell Modelling:
The Navy's WaveWatch III - "WAVEWATCH III solves the spectral action density balance equation for wavenumber-direction spectra." Customize here. This is a great resource to watch swell generation and propagation.
LOLA - Comprehensive wave modelling with user friendly graphic interface. Access lots of data fast. Pretty slick.
CDIP NowCast - Awesome near-shore real time wave modelling. Based off CDIP bouys, this is a great indicator of surf size along the coast.
Buoys:
General Trend:
Courtesy Frank Cox, PWizardry, link below (Blue is Height, Red is Period, horizontal lines = unit of 5)
Buoy Summary Current Combined NOAA and CDIP data in one easy to view window
Offshore Buoys - Swells hit here first:
SE Papa - Buoy 46006 - 32 hours out for NorCal spots,14 second periods at 290 degrees.
(17 second: 27 hrs, 20 sec: 23 hours).
California - Buoy 46059 - 12-15 hours out for NorCal spots, 14-17 sec swells - 270 degrees
NorCal Bouys:
San Francisco - Buoy 46026 - about 1 hour out
Half Moon Bay - Buoy 46012 - about 1 hour out
SoCal Buoys:
Pt. Conception - Buoy 46063
E. Santa Barbara Channel - Buoy 46053
Waverider Buoys:
Goleta, Harvest and Point Reyes Waverider Bouys - Spectral Plots show period intensity and swell direction - very useful
North and South Section maps of buoys for the US west coast
Dial-A-Buoy - Handy method for getting bouy data via phone
Winds:
SF Bay Area Wind Model
SoCal Wind Model
Tides:
TideTool application for Palm OS
Tools:
PWizardry Tools by Frank Cox
Great Circles - Will the swell angle hit your spot?
Learning about Surfing and Meteorology:
Forecasting Tutorial - Recommended!
Conceptual and Technical Overview and How-To
Surf Weather Basics Overview
Essential Surfing - The best book on surfboard design
Environment
California Coastline - Ken Adelman's incredible aerial pics of the entire coastline
EcoTrust - Building Salmon Nation
Peninsula Open Space Trust - Saving The Endangered Coast Campaign
CoastWatcher - News of the California Coast
Great Coastal Places Campaign - Sierra Club
Community
Dennis Pang Surfboards
The Shapers Tree
e's Surf Blog
Essential Surfing - The best book on surfboard design
My Photos
The Author, not in California . . . .
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