Orange County Surf Forecast – Wednesday – Clean but a bit swell-shadowed

The Swell
NW swell (290-300), some WNW-NW leftovers, and some small SW swell (200-220) will continue to hold on Wednesday...but may lose a little steam by the afternoon. The SW’er will actually show OK down in South County but don’t expect much from either part of the swell mix.



Waves
Look for most spots to hold around the knee-waist high range…a little inconsistent at times but still rideable at the more WNW-NW facing spots. The top combo breaks and good SW facing spots will be in the waist-chest high range.

Winds
Look for E-NE winds around 10-12 knots for the morning…strongest near the passes and canyons in South County. Winds come onshore out of the WNW around 10-12 knots for the afternoon but may lay down to light/variable by the end of the day.

Orange County Tides
11/25/2009 Wed
04:23AM LST 4.2 H
10:40AM LST 2.4 L
03:31PM LST 3.4 H
10:02PM LST 1.2 L

Orange County Surf Forecast – The Weekend – More surf and more reasons to blow off chores

The Swell
Saturday starts off with mostly leftovers but a WNW-NW swell (280-300) builds in through the afternoon and peaks throughout the day on Sunday. Small, much less consistent, SW energy (200-220) holds in the background.





Waves
Saturday will have mostly leftover energy in the morning but should still be good enough for knee-chest high surf at the average exposed spots…top breaks will have some inconsistent shoulder high sets. The new WNW-NW swell will start to move in later in the afternoon but may have a hard time showing through the building onshore bump from the local winds.

The WNW-NW’er peaks on Sunday with consistent chest-shoulder high surf at the average exposed breaks. Top NW facing spots…again mostly in North County will have shoulder-head high+ surf fairly consistently and sets going a little overhead at times. Looks like exposed points and reefs will have the best shape but expect smaller less consistent sets in those areas.

Winds
Saturday will see some eddish flow through the morning…so a sort of W-SW wind around 10-12 knots. Not enough to blow it out…but enough to make it a bit crumbly and sort of funky. Look for building onshore winds out of the W-NW in the 10-15 knot range for the afternoon.

Sunday will have mostly light and variable to light offshore winds and clean conditions. Winds will stay light through the first part of the morning and then build out of the NW around 10-15 knots for the afternoon.

Orange County Tides
11/21/2009 Sat
12:56AM LST 3.4 H
04:26AM LST 3.0 L
10:37AM LST 4.9 H
06:43PM LST 0.4 L

11/22/2009 Sun
02:08AM LST 3.5 H
05:30AM LST 3.2 L
11:24AM LST 4.5 H
07:36PM LST 0.7 L

Orange County Surf Forecast – Friday – On the way down…but still fun

The Swell
The mix of WNW-NW swell (280-300 but with more energy in the 290-300 range) and some weak SW swell (200-220) will back down on Friday. Look for the biggest, most consistent surf through the morning and further shrinkage by the afternoon.



Waves
Look for smaller but still fun/rideable surf on Friday. The average exposed spots will be in the waist high range…maybe even a few chest high sets through the morning. Standout NW exposed spots will be in the chest-shoulder high range…with a few North County plus sets early in the morning. Looks like shape will continue to be a little wally at the beach breaks so the best shape will be at spots that have something to break up the swell a little bit better.

Winds
Look for light and variable winds through the morning…even a few pockets of light E-ESE-SE offshore winds in some areas. Increasing clouds and light/moderate NW winds 10-14 knots move in through the afternoon. Chance for some light showers later in the night.

Orange County Tides
11/20/2009 Friday
03:45AM LST 2.8 L
09:58AM LST 5.4 H
05:53PM LST 0.1 L

Orange County Surf Forecast – Thursday – WNW-NW swell peaks

The Swell
WNW-NW swell (280-300 but with most of the energy around 290-300) will peak on Thursday as it mixes with some background SW swell (200-220). Due to the steeper swell angle this swell will show most of its energy at the winter spots in North County…but expect a (smaller) increase in surf across the county.



Waves
New swell moves in and helps to increase wave heights in most spots…average breaks are going to hold around waist-chest high…with some occasionally bigger sets at the better NW facing and combo breaks. Top NW facing spots will have surf in the chest-shoulder high range with some head high sets…possibly even a rare bigger one on the lower tide.

Winds
Look for light and variable to light offshore winds for the morning, some patchy fog in spots as well. Variable…mostly onshore…flow builds in through the afternoon but stays around 5-10 knots.

Orange County Tides
11/19/2009 Thursday
03:12AM LST 2.6 L
09:23AM LST 5.7 H
05:08PM LST -0.2 L
11:52PM LST 3.4 H

Orange County Surf Forecast – Wednesday – WNW-NW swell on the way up

The Swell
A new mix of WNW-NW swell (280-300 degrees but with the main push of energy around 290-300) will fill in throughout the day. Small SW swell (200-220) will also increase slightly in the background. Look for most spots to start small (and tide swamped) but expect more size to arrive as the swell fills in more in the afternoon...bigger waves will arrive after dark and hold into Thursday.





Waves
There will be a little new WNW-NW swell sneaking in through the morning as well as a little more SW energy…but I don’t think either swell is going to be able to push through that morning high tide. Yeah there are a couple of really shallow sandbars that might have some new waves but mostly it will continue to be small and soft. Look for more knee high shorebreak lines through the morning at the average breaks. Standout combo spots will be slightly bigger in the knee-waist high range.

By the afternoon the swell will be on the way up while the tides are on the way down…look for more waist-chest high waves at the average NW facing breaks…standout NW spots will see some shoulder high sets before sundown.

Winds
Light and variable winds on tap through the morning and W-WNW winds around 10-15+ knots for the afternoon.

Orange County Tides
11/18/2009 Wednesday
02:40AM LST 2.4 L
08:50AM LST 6.0 H
04:26PM LST -0.5 L
10:58PM LST 3.6 H

Orange County Surf Forecast – Tuesday – hmmm tide burgers

The Swell
Leftover WNW-NW energy…mostly local windswell and a trace of SW swell…really I wouldn’t have known these swells were in the water, let alone mention them, if we had something real to ride.



Waves
Ankle high tide burgers will be on tap for most areas in the morning. Look for the best NW combo spots, mostly in parts of North County, to see some knee-waist shore break early on…but then getting slightly more rideable as the tide drops. Mostly windswell mush shape but you might be able to get a big board on it.

Winds
Light offshore to light and variable winds on tap through the morning and W-WNW winds around 10-12 knots for the afternoon. Conditions look nice and clean through the first half of the day.

Orange County Tides
11/17/2009 Tuesday
02:09AM LST 2.1 L
08:18AM LST 6.2 H
03:46PM LST -0.7 L
10:10PM LST 3.6 H

Orange County Surf Forecast – Monday – Small and Clean

The Swell
We will have a mix of small WNW-NW windswell, some weak SW swell (190-210), and some new, but background, NW swell (295-300) from a little further out in the NPAC.



Waves
Thanks to the morning high tide most spots will be pretty small for the dawn patrol…though a few of the shallower sand bars may see some inconsistent sets. As the tide drops look for the average breaks to fill in to about knee high with some inconsistent waist high sets. The standout combo spots, that can mix the windswell and SW energy, will be more in the waist high range but I wouldn’t rule out some chest high sets as the tide drops.

Winds
Light offshore to light and variable winds on tap through the morning and W-WNW winds around 10-12 knots for the afternoon. Looks clean through the first half of the day.

Light and variable to light offshore winds will be on tap Sunday morning. NW winds 10-15+ knots move in through the afternoon.

Orange County Tides
11/16/2009 Mon
01:37AM LST 1.9 L
07:46AM LST 6.3 H
03:07PM LST -0.8 L
09:24PM LST 3.8 H