NW winds from the NPH…NOT!

by Mike Godsey, mike@iwindsurf.com

Yes, the wind felt like normal NW wind curving into Southern California and the bay today May 15. However the North Pacific High’s surface NW winds are nowhere to be found in the pacific near California.

Southern California

The tiny surface low associated with the upper trough in the image pushed through the Southern California bight and exited south of San Diego today. Strong NW winds at the surface stirred up by the upper trough caused the NW winds to crank up LATE in the afternoon from Leo to San Diego. But there was just too much NW wind the wind to hit the coast further north.

Bay Area

Rather strong NW wind  aloft stirred up the surface wind while hefty pressure gradients to all parts of the Central Valley sucked those winds into most sties on the coast and inside the bay.