Timing Lauderdale shore diving

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MikeJacobs

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Beachfront - Lauderdale on Hibiscus.
It will appear obvious to the old-timers and boaters but in my third year on the beach I'm finally getting it.

The wind blows in this time of year clockwise. When from the northeast, the surf picks up and shore-conditions are worst. Today they were from the West and it was the best.

Unfortunately, NOAA is of no help predicting the wind direction forecasts.
 
Yep, you got that right.
My benchmark is 10 mph, maybe 12 if the wind is "new," as in not blowing for days. From the west it can be 15mph.
This is conserative, and with the group of divers we have here, might be considered ultra conserative. :D
 
MikeJacobs:
It will appear obvious to the old-timers and boaters but in my third year on the beach I'm finally getting it.

The wind blows in this time of year clockwise. When from the northeast, the surf picks up and shore-conditions are worst. Today they were from the West and it was the best.

Unfortunately, NOAA is of no help predicting the wind direction forecasts.

I don't understand the clockwise thing, but winds with any west to them result in calm seas for us on the right side. Noaa does predict wind, and I think they do a pretty good job. Here's some links:

Marine forecast
Wind map
 
Scubakevdm:
I don't understand the clockwise thing, but winds with any west to them result in calm seas for us on the right side. Noaa does predict wind, and I think they do a pretty good job...[/URL]
lol we found NOAA's "predictions" to be actually less than 50% correct last year. Imagine that; you'd actually have had better diving if you watched the forecast and then went on the "bad" days. I'm sure NOAA does much better off shore.

As far as the clockwise thing, it's interesting for a "newcomer" like me (lived on the beach for two years). It works like this - the wind coming out of the north will slowly move clockwise until it's coming out of the northeast (the worst diving conditions). Eventually it gets around to the southeast, when things begin to settle down. When it gets around to southwest, conditions begin to improve and when its finally out of the west things are best.

The ideal for local shore divers is when it moves slowly around, extending the calming time between a south and west wind.
 
MikeJacobs:
It will appear obvious to the old-timers and boaters but in my third year on the beach I'm finally getting it.

The wind blows in this time of year clockwise. When from the northeast, the surf picks up and shore-conditions are worst. Today they were from the West and it was the best.

Unfortunately, NOAA is of no help predicting the wind direction forecasts.
Clockwise? Wind moves from an area of high pressure to that of low pressure. Around a high pressure it moves counter clockwise, around a low, clockwise. That means look at where the centre of the depression or high is and draw little circles to estimate which way the wind is going. The larger the pressure drop from high to low the stronger the wind is. Pressure is typically mapped in isobars (like contours), the closer - steeper they are, the stronger the wind. Now as systems move through the wind will shift around, say from west to east through the north which would indicate a low moving through as it passes to the east. Movement of pressure systems is typically from west to east, coming down from PNW/BC, through TX, across us and up with the jet stream (which is the air flow above the gulf stream) and across to Blighty.

Its already been said that lighter offshore breezes are best, onshore arent good, but nor are strong winds as they will build up chop and churn things up, offshore of course is a westerly wind, onshore easterly. Cross shore north or south winds dont do as much, but again a strong wind just stirs the sea. Hope that makes sense.
 
simbrooks:
Clockwise? Wind moves from an area of high pressure to that of low pressure. Around a high pressure it moves counter clockwise, around a low, clockwise...
Yup, correction: the direction of the wind, to a stationary dive site, comes from different directions moving clockwise.
 
MikeJacobs:
Yup, correction: the direction of the wind, to a stationary dive site, comes from different directions moving clockwise.
When a high moves through, the wind will move around counter clockwise for a stationary point, but typically we get the most effect here from lows it seems, in the "winter" period we are in the lows seem to drop down just that little bit further, even bringing fronts - brrr :wink:
 
simbrooks:
Clockwise? Wind moves from an area of high pressure to that of low pressure. Around a high pressure it moves counter clockwise, around a low, clockwise. .
Simon, I think you have it reversed. High pressure winds move in clockwise direction and low pressure winds in counter clockwise. Here is the way I remember this, from my pilot training, think of the face of a clock 12 o'clock being being the start of the winds, high pressure moves from the low numbers to the HIGH numbers..clockwise....low pressure moves from the high numbers to the LOW numbers....counter clockwise.

Oh my! Did I just correct a Mod??? Woe is me.
 
SmokeAire:
Simon, I think you have it reversed. High pressure winds move in clockwise direction and low pressure winds in counter clockwise. Here is the way I remember this, from my pilot training, think of the face of a clock 12 o'clock being being the start of the winds, high pressure moves from the low numbers to the HIGH numbers..clockwise....low pressure moves from the high numbers to the LOW numbers....counter clockwise.
You are correct, i drew it on a piece of paper whilst i was writing, but somehow put it in backwards, generally not beyond correction. I think my shifting winds due to moving pressure systems is still correct though and that explains why it seems to come from all angles at this time of year :wink:
SmokeAire:
Oh my! Did I just correct a Mod??? Woe is me.
Oh dear, you have gone and done it now - 5 day or permenant, i cant think what punishment to hand out. There is a saying out there "With great power, comes great opportunities to abuse it" :wink:
 
Mike: There are a few generalizations that can be used to predict do-able shore dives here.

1. In the winter, fronts often blow in from the north or west. On the verge of a front, conditions might be stormy (depending on whether the front is bringing in cool or cold air). If you go to bed and weatherguy is suggesting a north or west wind will be here in the morning, set up your gear. An early morning dive will probably see flat seas and cold air because we'll be on the lee of a nice peninsula.

2. Still in winter, even if winds are blowing strong from the north to west, the inside reefs might still be calm enough to dive. From the 2d reef on out, the sea is outside of the lee protection, but inside the water may still be protected.

3. In summer, dive planning needs an additional variable. Morning dives are far more predictable than afternoon dives. As heat from the peninsula and glades builds up during the day, and as east winds blow cooler air off the ocean, the "mini" fronts converge and create localized storm cells. Any given day results in sometimes fierce storms that create ugly seas and (yikes) lightning. Beach dives in the morning, or after late afternoon storms are likely to have calm, even bathtub conditions.
 
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