Bottom Line: The models are all over the place regarding wind velocity but all agree on an unfavorable WSW wind direction. This means our wind will be coming over the mountains which causes the wind to ripple and reach the surface randomly. Don’t launch during a brief windy period since you could be stranded in wind…
Note: Despite the AM glassy waters use caution fishing and kayaking near arroyos since there is a chance of random strong WEST wind blasts. Bottom Line: Sub to maybe low-teens near arroyos as strong westerly wind hitting the mountain tops sometimes comes down the arroyos where it disrupts the weak E to ENE surface winds. Today’s Wind…
Today’s Wind Recipe: 1. A chilly upper trough at ≈ 18,000 feet aloft drops over the 4-Corners region destroying the El Norte wind producing 4-Corners region high-pressure. 2. Killer creates a surface low-pressure at the north end of the Sea of Cortez spoiling the wind for that north half of the sea. 3. Low-pressure south…
If you have ever camped along the coast of the sea in the winter you are very aware of the cool westerly breeze that blows most early mornings. In this model animation from ikitesurf.com/WeatherFlow-Tempest you can see the strong El Norte winds that often blow all night in the Sea of Cortez. However, at 7…
When a Cut-Off Low moves over Baja California during the winter, it can significantly impact surface winds and weather in the region. Here’s what typically happens: Cut-off lows are an upper low “cut off” from the main jet stream with upper winds spinning around the low-pressure center. Since they are no longer attached to the main…
Part 1 of this blog covered the basics of how low-pressure south to southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja often impacts the winter winds in the Sea of Cortez. In that blog this graphic showing how that low-pressure can produce winds even when the big wind machines, the NPH and the…
It is Baja meteorology 101 gospel that the strongest winter Sea of Cortez winds are created by high pressure in the USA’s 4-Corners region. You can see this high-pressure area in the circle of white isobar lines in this first image. Notice how those lines get closer together over the Sea of Cortez. The closer…
But be extra nice since there is a thread of hope! Bottom Line: Local easterly thermals sub to low-teens. Baja Sur Pacific side has faint winds but strong Punta San Carlos, Baja Norte winds. A Xmas story: Uh oh! Someone messed up Santa’s Naughty or Nice equation. It was probably a windsurfer, since for Xmas their wind…
Recently a customer asked: Long ago, windsurfers and a few kiters were the only boards on La Ventana waters. Looking at our iwindsurf.com sensor archives the average strength (since who would trust aging memories) it is clear that really powerful El Norte winds were more common 20+ years ago. These huge El Norte winds started…
Today’s wind recipe: 1. Moderate swell hitting the beaches confirms the strong winds to the north reported by the most recent ASCAT pass. 2. Checking your retina, notice the dark blue line towards the horizon. You know what that means. 3. All this reflects the strong high-pressure over the USA’s 4-Corners region, pushing El Norte…