Best weather resource - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

ratdog · 05-04-2007, 12:33 PM

I obviously don't know the best place to check weather/sea state conditions.
I got up early this morning, got to the launch and noticed no one had been out yet, no tire tracks on the beach, all kinds of parking at 5:30am. The water was rough but I thought I could make it out, I actually could of but I was soaked before I even made a serious try, and I thought coming back in might really suck. So i bagged. What do tou all use?
Thanks in advance

Holy Mackerel · 05-04-2007, 12:46 PM

Check the BWE homepage... on the left, there is a quick reference to wind, weather, swell... etc..

I also use this wind source

http://w9if.net/cgi-bin/torreywx/wx.pl

If it is above 8 mph in any direction, I go back to sleep... I can deal with almost anything in LJ, except wind!!

Dan · 05-04-2007, 12:57 PM

The link above to the glider port is sweet.

wunderground.com - excellent wind predictor

wetsand.com - wetsand is ventura based, so the wind predictions need to be toned down just a touch. The swell predicitons are pretty much spot on.

fishinjay · 05-04-2007, 01:14 PM

I usually check the bouy's located just off the coast...They are actually in the water and can give you just about anything related to weather and even some water temps...

the link is :http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/Southwest_inset.shtml

fishinjay · 05-04-2007, 01:16 PM

also as dan said, wunderground is also great...

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/PZ/750.html

Pescavore1 · 05-04-2007, 01:42 PM

I like these two:

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/la_jolla_pier

http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwher...orecast+Graphs

Dennis · 05-04-2007, 01:52 PM

I'm with Chris. Before I leave my house I check the glider port "real time" wind conditions. And yes, if it's above 8mph I go back to bed. It's above the ridge with no shelter around it. The reading you'd get from there is what you could expect on water.
I don't really trust the iwindsurf site. There were times were I'd be at the launch when it was howling. I called my buddy to check the iwindsurf site, and it would read 2mph

...
If I do a pm shift, I like to look at the Scripps Pier webcam along with Torrey's wind report. You can see the white caps and spray (from the waves) and kind of gauge how strong the wind is.

madscientist · 05-04-2007, 02:20 PM

iwindsurf can be terribly off but the gliderport is usually spot on. My cutoff is 10/12 if its anything north of W, 12/15 if its south of west. Also consider how long its been blowing. Several hours of 10+ from the NW means nasty chop.

Swell forecasts are largely useless since the launch is so affected by the cove/canyons. I never call it off due to surf and I have never seen surf that was unlaunchable. Scary, but not unlaunchable.

lamb · 05-04-2007, 02:31 PM

I keep an eye on National Weather Service Marine Forecast... You can get their info in bunch of places... Weather.com, or directly from them (this is for SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER )...

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/west/sgxmz.htm

Wind is the worst…

Know what the forecast calls for, check it real time before you go. Torrey Pines Glider port seems to be the best for the real time wind at LJ… Chris put up a link.

NOAA buoys are the best bet for checking real time swell conditions, the links are above… For LJ, the Scrips Pier one will have the most relevant info… Keep in mind the swell at the launch will be smaller that what this buoy reads most of the time. With NW or sometimes W swell, it may be the same…

Daily swell graph:

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=observed&stn=073&stream=p1&units=english&tz=PST&xitem=dwave

Weekly, to give you an idea about the trends:

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=observed&stn=073&stream=p1&units=english&tz=PST&xitem=wwave

cabojohn · 05-04-2007, 03:20 PM

I was wondering the same thing...thanks guys!

T-Rex · 05-04-2007, 04:05 PM

I always find the cdip nowcast models the easiest to read with useful info.

Anything but blue at the launch ramp & I'll bring along wetsuit just in case the surf's up.

Today waders or whatever would be fine...
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub...item=san_diego

Tomorrow, with the increasing NW swell I'd bring along a wetsuit just in case.
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub...item=socal_now

madscientist · 05-04-2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Rex

Anything but blue at the launch ramp & I'll bring along wetsuit just in case the surf's up.

A drytop over waders makes me waterproof, and I don't have to feel like a sausage the rest of the day. I hate wearing wetsuits out of the water.

Dennis · 05-04-2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madscientist

A drytop over waders makes me waterproof, and I don't have to feel like a sausage the rest of the day. I hate wearing wetsuits out of the water.

Ditto that. And you could pull of layers if you have them...

T-Rex · 05-04-2007, 09:15 PM

Yeah, don't care much for the wetsuit out of water either, but I've got a good full suit that at least keeps me dry. My paddle jacket is fine for spray, but is worthless in the surf. I really need to get around to buying a good drytop...hate getting wet on the way out.

ratdog · 05-04-2007, 09:38 PM

Thanks everyone for all the great links and info. I bookmarked all of them.
Awesome.

05-04-2007, 12:33 PM	#1
ratdog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Best weather resource I obviously don't know the best place to check weather/sea state conditions. I got up early this morning, got to the launch and noticed no one had been out yet, no tire tracks on the beach, all kinds of parking at 5:30am. The water was rough but I thought I could make it out, I actually could of but I was soaked before I even made a serious try, and I thought coming back in might really suck. So i bagged. What do tou all use? Thanks in advance

05-04-2007, 01:52 PM	#7
Dennis Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South of La Jolla... Posts: 1,193	I'm with Chris. Before I leave my house I check the glider port "real time" wind conditions. And yes, if it's above 8mph I go back to bed. It's above the ridge with no shelter around it. The reading you'd get from there is what you could expect on water. I don't really trust the iwindsurf site. There were times were I'd be at the launch when it was howling. I called my buddy to check the iwindsurf site, and it would read 2mph ... If I do a pm shift, I like to look at the Scripps Pier webcam along with Torrey's wind report. You can see the white caps and spray (from the waves) and kind of gauge how strong the wind is. __________________ Hmmmm.....

05-04-2007, 02:20 PM	#8
madscientist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,906	iwindsurf can be terribly off but the gliderport is usually spot on. My cutoff is 10/12 if its anything north of W, 12/15 if its south of west. Also consider how long its been blowing. Several hours of 10+ from the NW means nasty chop. Swell forecasts are largely useless since the launch is so affected by the cove/canyons. I never call it off due to surf and I have never seen surf that was unlaunchable. Scary, but not unlaunchable. __________________

05-04-2007, 12:46 PM	#2
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Check the BWE homepage... on the left, there is a quick reference to wind, weather, swell... etc.. I also use this wind source http://w9if.net/cgi-bin/torreywx/wx.pl If it is above 8 mph in any direction, I go back to sleep... I can deal with almost anything in LJ, except wind!!

05-04-2007, 12:57 PM	#3
Dan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,053	The link above to the glider port is sweet. wunderground.com - excellent wind predictor wetsand.com - wetsand is ventura based, so the wind predictions need to be toned down just a touch. The swell predicitons are pretty much spot on.

05-04-2007, 01:14 PM	#4
fishinjay Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 22	I usually check the bouy's located just off the coast...They are actually in the water and can give you just about anything related to weather and even some water temps... the link is :http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/Southwest_inset.shtml

05-04-2007, 01:16 PM	#5
fishinjay Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 22	also as dan said, wunderground is also great... http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/PZ/750.html

05-04-2007, 01:42 PM	#6
Pescavore1 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Scripps Ranch Posts: 82	I like these two: http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/la_jolla_pier http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwher...orecast+Graphs

05-04-2007, 02:31 PM	#9
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,563	I keep an eye on National Weather Service Marine Forecast... You can get their info in bunch of places... Weather.com, or directly from them (this is for SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER )... http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/west/sgxmz.htm Wind is the worst… Know what the forecast calls for, check it real time before you go. Torrey Pines Glider port seems to be the best for the real time wind at LJ… Chris put up a link. NOAA buoys are the best bet for checking real time swell conditions, the links are above… For LJ, the Scrips Pier one will have the most relevant info… Keep in mind the swell at the launch will be smaller that what this buoy reads most of the time. With NW or sometimes W swell, it may be the same… Daily swell graph: http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=observed&stn=073&stream=p1&units=english&tz=PST&xitem=dwave Weekly, to give you an idea about the trends: http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=observed&stn=073&stream=p1&units=english&tz=PST&xitem=wwave

05-04-2007, 03:20 PM	#10
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 656	I was wondering the same thing...thanks guys!

05-04-2007, 04:05 PM	#11
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	I always find the cdip nowcast models the easiest to read with useful info. Anything but blue at the launch ramp & I'll bring along wetsuit just in case the surf's up. Today waders or whatever would be fine... http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub...item=san_diego Tomorrow, with the increasing NW swell I'd bring along a wetsuit just in case. http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub...item=socal_now

05-04-2007, 09:15 PM	#14
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Yeah, don't care much for the wetsuit out of water either, but I've got a good full suit that at least keeps me dry. My paddle jacket is fine for spray, but is worthless in the surf. I really need to get around to buying a good drytop...hate getting wet on the way out.

05-04-2007, 09:38 PM	#15
ratdog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Thanks everyone for all the great links and info. I bookmarked all of them. Awesome.