by Mike Godsey, mikeATiwindsurf.com
The battle is on! There is a tiny eddy near Stinson and a larger ribbon like eddy running from the Golden Gate to Santa Cruz creating southerly ocean winds near shore.
Meanwhile, very strong NW winds from the North Pacific High are roaring just west of our ocean buoys.
At dawn NNE winds at 1000 – 2000 feet aloft are holding the NW surface winds away from the Bay Area.
You can see these wind aloft in the 2nd image.
If you have ever sailed Sherman Island on northerly winds you know that these winds always fade as the morning progresses.
So as the NNE winds fade midday the NW wind moves over the coast.
Then as the pressure gradient towards Bakersfield goes up these winds roar through W and NW facing gaps in the coast range.