Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Big Surf


Well the winds kicked up yesterday and the surf is going to be up today. So if you are a surfer this is good news. To just about everyone else it's bad news. We hope to get some pictures later of the surf. The one above is not of an actual wavehere. When we got up this morning there was already a cruise ship on port. My guess would be they came in early or overnighted to avoid the swells. Here is the weather advisory.


SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-NORTH CENTRAL-NORTHWEST- MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-CULEBRA-VIEQUES- ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS- 338 AM AST WED MAR 19 2008...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY... ...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM AST FRIDAY. A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A SECONDARY SURGE OF SWELLS OF 10 TO 12 FEET OR GREATER HAVE PASSED OUR NEAREST ATLANTIC BUOY AND ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ALONG THE LOCAL COASTLINES IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. SWELL WILL INCREASE FURTHER OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...WHEN THE PEAK WAVE HEIGHTS ARE ANTICIPATED. LONG PERIOD SWELLS MOVING THROUGH THE LOCAL WATERS TYPICALLY PRODUCE BREAKING WAVES 2 TIMES THAT OF THE SWELL HEIGHT...DUE TO THE STEEP SLOPE OF THE OCEAN FLOOR. BREAKING WAVE HEIGHTS ALONG THE OUTER REEFS AND SHOALS OF THE LOCAL ATLANTIC COASTLINES ARE THEREFORE EXPECTED TO BUILD FROM 12 TO 20 FEET THIS MORNING...AND PEAK AT 20 TO 24 FEET LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS WILL CREATE A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE LOCAL BEACHES WITH NORTHWEST THROUGH NORTHEAST EXPOSURE...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS MAY BECOME THE LARGEST WINTER SWELL EVENT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. WAVE RUN-UP ALONG THE LOCAL BEACHES MAY REACH ELEVATIONS 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.HIGH SURF WARNINGS FOR BREAKING WAVES OF 20 FEET AND GREATER WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY OR AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL BE DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE.THE TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF THE HIGH TIDE TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE:SAN JUAN HARBOR: 7:38 AM AT 1.4 FEET AND 7:34 PM AT 1.2 FEET.MAGENS BAY ST THOMAS: 7:50 AM AT 0.9 FEET AN 6:56 PM AT 0.5 FEET.A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTAL FLOODING...CAUSING INUNDATION OF COASTAL ROADS...LOW LYING AREAS... AND BEACH EROSION. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS IN CASE COASTAL FLOODING OCCURS OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. THIS SITUATION WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's going to make some intresting ferry rides to STJ
Tom
AKA Waterguy

Deb and Jay said...

We're planning on checking out the north shore after work. I brought my camera with me in case there are some good shots.
Deb

Anonymous said...

I'm grabbing Toby and heading out to Hull Bay after work today!

Weather