by WeatherFlow meteorologist Shea Gibson

From April 11 – April 14, High pressure entered from the Gulf, expanded across FL/GA and out into the Atlantic north of Bermuda, where it slightly built around the center and then became flattened by two areas of troughing to the north and south. To the north, a stronger frontal boundary had just lifted where the High passed underneath, and then settled back down by laying in an EAST-WEST diagonal pattern. To the south, weaker troughing + lack of significant system activity the western Gulf allowed it to expand the axis inland all the way to Louisiana and perhaps Texas. The result was mixed SSE/SE winds to the south of axis and S/SW flow to the north of axis. This made it especially difficult to predict how much angle of SSW/SW directions and potential elevations in speeds we might observe from Seabreeze circulations for several days. We mainly stayed with the weaker synoptic flow to beaches with marine layering effects tied in with our forecasts, but coastal breaks and inland locales had to be mentioned for SW directional influences to perhaps drive up a few elevations in speeds.

First let’s take a look at the APRIL 11, 2014 Surface Analysis

And the forecasts starting with GA, then SC and SENC

OUTCOME

Jekyll Island, South GA (ignore the morning spikes) – came up a couple of knots higher late afternoon, but overall target met.

Isle of Palms, (mid SC)

Charleston Harbor, (mid SC) – escapes some of the ridging effects..notice how well it picks up as winds funnel in between land masses during Seabreezing.