UNDER CONSTRUCTION The answer lies with wavy jet stream. by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com At the Hatchery this 2016 summer season 2 topics beyond the endless chatter about sail sizes are common. Most common are: 1. Why aren’t we getting the consistent 4.2 sail size winds typical of summer. It seems the average winds are either weaker than normal…
Subtle synoptic changes have major impact on Bay Area wind distribution. by Mike Godsey, mike@iwindsurf.com If you work the waters north of the Bay Bridge you have seen plenty of strong if sometimes gusty days this season. But if you are a coast or Coyote and 3rd. Ave. water person you have had many weak or…
Año Nuevo clearing sets the stage for winds to the south. by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com If you only sail inside the bay the frequent appearance of the phrase “Año Nuevo clearing” may see very cryptic. But is you kite or sail the coast from Waddell south that phrase sets your heart pounding. Most years…
Sure the Gorge winds are often gusty but some times they are over the top gusty…Why? by Mike Godsey, mike@iwindsurf.com Take a look at the forecast for yesterday Aug. 2, 2016 to the right. Exactly what does the forecast mean when it talks about strong wind aloft, turbulence, waves and gusty UP AND DOWN winds? And how…
Timing is everything! by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com I avoid forecasting for the Gorge for a number of reasons. The two biggest reasons are that it takes about 2-4 years of forecasting in a new area to learn how to interpret all the model output and empirical data to do decent forecasts. The second…
Blame it on the winds aloft! by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com For old timers the strong WSW winds of recent weeks north of the Bay Bridge see like a blast from the past. And if you have been a kiter or windsurfer for less than 15 years on the coast or Peninsula it probably seems…
The video for today July 10 shows what a major North Pacific High looks like on a typical April and July and September day. by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com In April the NPH is often huge and is often interacting with storm systems in the Gulf of Alaska and along the coast of the Pacific Northwest….
Combo of late season storms and early season tropical storms favors NNW ocean winds & southerly eddy flow. by Mike Godsey, mike@iwindsurf.com Take a look at the wind graph to the right for June 13. The channel sensor is blowing 24 knots at 4:56 PM so you would expect hoards of kiters and windsurfers on…
Day and night southerly ocean winds rule! by Mike Godsey, mike@iwindsurf.com Update at 5PM Saturday June 2: Here is a satellite animation of the huge eddy I forecast when I did the blog below Thursday evening. Thursday May 30: See the sensor in my banner image above? That is our San Pablo Bay Nav. Aid sensor and it…
Too much of a good thing! by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com Doesn’t it drive you crazy when the evening forecast is for low 20’s dawn wind at Sherman Island and then the 7AM forecast and the wind graphs shows weaker winds? Last night Kerry forecast low 20’s morning winds for Sherman Island and then…