SoCal -- Santa Ana Winds

Where are you? I'm looking at the Newport Beach forecast, and it's 10-15 most of the day.

jimgo said:

Where are you? I'm looking at the Newport Beach forecast, and it's 10-15 most of the day.

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My boat is in MDR at the moment, which looks like it will get about 15-20kts today. But Ventura and Channel Islands Harbors are due for at least 30kts. It's pretty difficult for the prognosticators to predict exactly where the strongest winds will be; like almost all Santa Ana events, the effects are expected to be highly variable.

See: SCCOOS: Surface Winds

Santa Barbara, Channel Islands Eastern portion...NE winds 15 to 25 kt. Western portion... NE winds 5 to 10 kt.

It is breezy.

Let's hope tomorrow is the same, I have the next 4 days off

Meanwhile, my table just tried to run off with my lunch! Beautiful day )

I had lunch in Irvine today, and chose to eat inside because I was afraid my tacos would fly away!

Surfing today in Huntington Beach and the wind pushes you so hard it's a challenge to catch the wave and stay on the face. Most surfers just get blown out to sea and don't realize it.

Saw a sailboat out there in the white caps with about 40% of their jib unfurled - and making good speed.

Typically these are fall season weather conditions, so as surfers we're all happy about it. For sailing, it's tricky because some days it howls offshore and then turns onshore (normal) at a comfortable breeze and you could sail in the afternoon. Other days it's just gusty off shore day and night.

you southern cal folk! thats mild every day san francisco weather

nothing like summer afternoons on the bay with steady 30-35knots! jajajaja

comon now dont get scared! jajaja

enjoy it!

christian.hess said:

you southern cal folk! thats mild every day san francisco weather

nothing like summer afternoons on the bay with steady 30-35knots! jajajaja

comon now dont get scared! jajaja

enjoy it!

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Anything below about 25 or 30 kts is fine with me. The best part is that since the wind is blowing off-shore there is very little fetch to build the waves. A nice, steady 25kt wind and almost no waves makes for some screaming fast sailing.

But the Santa Ana winds have a nasty habit of intensifying up to 50+ kts sometimes. Then no one is very happy, except the windsurfers.

yeah I remember them we got hit in santa barbara big time while going down the coast

I was just poking some fun

to me 25 knots is the bees knees

a reef in the main and jib full steam ahead

yeah!

I sail through hurricane gulch (San Pedro) and 20-25 is common it's the gusts that hit 40 makes it a biotch.

Yesterday evening was beautiful. A nice breeze, not too strong, and the seas looked amazing. Yet when I had dinner I only saw two sailboats. One appeared to be in the 25-30' range, heading back from Catalina. The other was probably closer to 35-40', and was sailing down and then back up the coast. Jib and full main flying on the way down, but they furled the jib on the way back north. Despite having some great company at dinner, I couldn't help wishing I was aboard the boat instead.

get out there jimgo! Im itching too jajajaja