Quote:
Originally Posted by Omatako
40 - 50 foot seas and 40 - 50 knot winds seem a little incongruous....
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Not off the mid-Atlantic or New England coasts of the United States. This time of year and continuing through the winter, we get freight train cold fronts that come down from Canada. They are not swirling low-pressure systems, but rather straight line winds that persist for several days from the same direction (north-north-west).
Complicating this is that the Gulf Stream current is pushing it's way north in this patch of water at a speed of several knots, so the wind and current are contrary. They can pile high and tight very quickly -- best to be no-where in the vicinity during these conditions.
Next time we get a good norther, check some of the readings at these off-shore buoys. It's sobering.
NDBC - Northeast USA Recent Marine Data