Strong North Pacific High + low pressure in Great Basin + strong winds aloft = Epic winds!

by Mike Godsey, mike AT iwindsurf.com

Strong wind ruled the west coast on March 12, 2019. Here is a visual summary of the causes and the results:

1. Note the North Pacific High off the west coast.
2. Look at how the NPH’s isobars stack up along the west coast creating strong NW wind.
3. Check out the low-pressure zone in the Great Basin creating a strong pressure gradient.
4. Note how the NW wind curves inland towards the low pressure in the Basin.
5. Check out how many of the sensor in the San Francisco Bay Area have winds in the low 20’s to upper 30’s
6. 3rd. Ave had peak average winds to 37 mph.
7. And Southern California had sites with winds in the upper-teens to even mid 20’s.
8. C St. in Ventura had average winds to 26 mph.
9. A bit factor in the strong surface wind was the strong gusts to 40 mph just aloft over the Bay.
10. And Southern California had similar winds aloft.
11. On most days kites way outnumber windsurfers at 3rd. Ave. but not late Tuesday afternoon.
12. An for a change the Gorge was at the bottom of wind totem pole excepts for Dougs that hit a respectable 29 mph.