Weather forecast for Friday February 18
February 18, 2011
By JOHN LINDSEY from PG&E
SEA SWELL:
This morning’s 8- to 10-foot northwesterly (300-degree deep-water) swell (with an 11- to 13-second period) will continue at this height and period through Sunday.
Combined with this northwesterly swell will be 6- to 8-foot southerly (190-degree shallow-water) seas this afternoon, decreasing on Saturday.
This northwesterly (300-degree deep-water) swell will lower to 4- to 6-feet on Monday, further decreasing to 3- to 5-feet on Tuesday through Wednesday. However, increasing southerly seas will develop on Tuesday.
An 8- to 10-foot northwesterly (300-degree deep-water) swell (with an 11- to 15-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Thursday, increasing to 9- to 11-feet (with an
11- to 13-second period) next Friday.
PG&E San Francisco Met Office predicted temps:
Inland Temperatures, Paso Robles
Actual Predicted
Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Sat
34-56 49-51 38-50 34-52 33-54 34-57 33-57 34-53 34-53
Coastal Valleys Temperatures, San Luis Obispo
Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Sat
41-58 50-56 41-53 3- 56 36-58 37-61 36-60 3654 36-55
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION:
A cold front stalled over Big Sur last night and produced heavy amounts of rainfall north of Cambria.
Three Peaks in Bug Sur recorded 5.94 inches of rain over the last 24 hours. Rocky Butte near San Simon reported 3.78 inches. Cambria has recorded 1.93 inches and Adelaida checks in with 2.5 inches.
As you head further southward rainfall amounts significantly decreased. Paul’s House at hwy 41 west & Toro Creek only recorded 0.80 inches and Diablo Canyon hasn’t even recorded
a quarter of an inch so far.
However, this condition will change later this morning.
The upper-level winds will move a vigorous 1,005 millibar low pressure system and associated cold front eastward towards San Luis Obispo. Frontal passage over Diablo Canyon will occur between 12 and 3 p.m. During frontal passage, moderate gale to fresh gale (32 to 46 mph) southeasterly winds and periods of heavy rain along with a chance of thunderstorms
will develop.
Periods of moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds will continue through tonight, turning to scattered rain showers (at times heavy) on Saturday as a cold upper-level trough moves over the Central Coast.
Rainfall totals from this system should range between 1 and 1.5 inches in the North County (Paso Robles), 1.5 and 2.5 inches in the coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo) and along the
beaches and 2.5 and 5.0 inches along the coastal mountains due to oragraphic enhancement.
Heavy snow above 3,000 feet in the Sierra will occur throughout the day today from north of Blue Canyon south into the southern Yosemite area. Also, heavy rain and snow in the 3,000 and 4,000 foot range will cross into the LA area late this afternoon and tonight with possible heavy snow across the Southern California Mountains.
A break in the weather is forecast on Sunday through Monday. Then another cold Gulf of Alaska weather system will drop southward and move parallel along the California coastline.
This system should spread rain and moderate to fresh (13 and 24 mph) southerly winds from north to south along the immediate coastal locations on Tuesday.
Cool and dry weather is forecast for the rest of next week.
DIABLO CANYON AIR TEMPERATURES:
Diablo Canyon Meteorological Tower Air Temperature Data
Yesterday’s Today’s Tomorrow’s
Min Max Min Max Min Max
47.1° 53.7° 49.6° 53.0° 48.0 53.0
WINDS:
This morning’s fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) southeasterly winds will increase to moderate gale to fresh gale (32 to 46 mph) levels between 12 and 3 p.m. with the frontal passage.
These winds will shift out of the southwest and decrease to fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) levels this evening through Saturday morning.
Moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph) northwesterly winds are forecast on Saturday afternoon through Monday.
Moderate to fresh (13 and 24 mph) southerly winds will develop on Tuesday, shifting and decreasing out of the northeast (offshore) on Wednesday.
Increasing westerly winds are forecast on Thursday, decreasing
next Friday.
DIABLO CANYON METEOROLOGICAL TOWER WIND DATA:
Today’s winds:
Max peak winds: SE 32.9 mph at 5:45 a.m.
Max sustained wind: SE 26.6 mph at 5:45 a.m.
Yesterday’s Maximum Winds:
Max peak winds: SE 38.5 mph at 10:00 p.m.
Max sustained wind: SE 31.3 mph at 10:00 p.m.
SEAWATER TEMPERATURES:
The Diablo Canyon waverider buoy is reporting a sea surface temperature of 54.1 degrees while the Nortek AWAC current meter is reporting 54.3 degrees.
Intake seawater temperatures will range between 53- and 55 -degrees through Sunday.
OCEAN CURRENTS:
Both the DCPP Cal Poly CODAR stations and the DCPP Nortek AWAC meter are indicating a northerly (onshore) flowing current.
A northerly (onshore) flowing current will continue to flow northward through Saturday, becoming a southerly (offshore) flowing current on Sunday.
SEAWATER VISIBILITY:
Seawater visibility was 2 to 3 feet at the Diablo Canyon Intake.
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24-Hour Ocean Condition Outlook for Friday 02/18 to Saturday 02/19
Sea/Swell DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 This morning
Decreasing to: DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 This afternoon
Decreasing to: DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 Tonight
(Combined with: DIR. S HT. 4-6 PER. 4-6 This morning)
(Increasing to: DIR. S HT. 6-8 PER. 4-6 This afternoon)
(Decreasing to: DIR. S HT. 5-7 PER. 4-6 tonight)
WINDS: DIR. SE SPEED 30-35 + 40 This morning
Increasing to: DIR. SE SPEED 35-40 + 50 This afternoon
Decreasing to: DIR. SW SPEED 20-25 + 30 Tonight
===========================================================================
48-Hour Ocean Condition Outlook for Saturday 02/19 to Sunday 02/20
Sea/Swell DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 Saturday morning
Decreasing to: DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 Saturday afternoon
Decreasing to: DIR. NW HT. 8-10 PER. 11-13 Saturday night
(Combined with: DIR. S HT. 4-6 PER. 4-6 All day Saturday)
WINDS: DIR. SW SPEED 15-20 + 25 Saturday morning
Decreasing to: DIR. WSW SPEED 10-15 Saturday afternoon
Increasing to: DIR. NW SPEED 15-20 + 25 Saturday night
===========================================================================
Extended Ocean Condition Outlook:
An 8- to 10-foot northwesterly (300-degree deep-water) swell (with an 11- to 15-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Thursday, increasing to 9- to 11-feet (with an 11- to 13-second period) next Friday.
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The 24 – Hour Ocean Data From The Diablo Canyon Wave rider Buoy
MONTH DAY TIME SIG.HEIGHT PERIOD SWELL DIRECTION SST
02 10 0413 4.4 17 261 53.2
02 11 1443 4.2 13 268 60.8
02 12 1243 3.0 12 261 60.1
02 13 1943 5.2 14 258 55.8
02 14 0813 3.9 13 263 54.5
02 15 0413 8.2 12 268 53.8
02 16 0513 9.1 11 279 54.0
02 17 0243 11.7 14 268 54.0
02 18 0613 8.7 13 268 54.1
(cm) (sec) 22+ 20 17 15 13 11 9 7
———————————————————————–
02 10 0413 133 17 5 46 258 87 70 254 126 135
02 11 1443 128 13 2 16 98 188 432 127 31 54
02 12 1143 100 11 1 6 47 154 102 193 67 42
02 13 1943 159 13 2 4 19 392 515 454 119 52
02 14 0813 120 13 2 5 17 98 295 203 100 139
02 15 0413 251 11 3 7 11 210 1042 1076 885 284
02 16 0513 278 4 4 18 25 253 794 1129 828 1237
02 17 0243 356 13 10 72 418 1588 1771 1312 1214 572
02 17 0543 312 13 10 79 331 1122 1127 1032 1087 570
02 18 0613 264 7 3 18 21 171 904 741 560 950
Daily Swell Inspection Program
NAME DAY TIME HEIGHT PERIOD SST
(PST) (FEET) (SECONDS) (DEG. F)
# 166 Ocean Station Papa 18 0402 12 9 42.6
# 06 SE Papa 18 0650 14 11 53.6
# 59 California Buoy 18 0650 10 11 54.7
# 01 Point Reyes Waverider 18 0646 10 13 51.4
# 15 Monterey Waverider Buoy 18 0650 7 13 53.8
# 28 Cape San Martin, Ca 18 0650 10 11 54.1
# 50 DCPP Waverider Buoy, Ca 18 0613 9 13 54.1
# 63 Harvest Buoy 18 0620 10 14 54.7
# 01 NW Hawaii 18 0650 8 15 73.8
* Note: Height (significant swell height) is the average height of the waves in the top third of the wave record. Maximum wave height may be up to TWICE the height in the data shown in the above table.
Precipitation at the Diablo Canyon Ocean Lab.
Sunday 1500 through Monday 1500 0.02 inches
Monday 1500 through Tuesday 1500 0.02 inches
Tuesday 1500 through Wednesday 1500 0.41 inches
Wednesday 1500 through Thursday 1500 0.05 inches
Thursday 1500 through Friday 0800 0.23 inches
Precipitation this rain season (July 1 – June 30): 18.41 inches
Average season rainfall at DIP to date: 16.12 inches
Ocean Lab Barometer: 29.80 in/Hg or 1009.2 mb -1.5 mb (Falling)
Sunrise and Sunset
Today’s Sunrise 6:46 AM Sunset 5:48 PM
Tomorrow’s Sunrise 6:45 AM Sunset 5:49 PM
Tides:
Low Tide High Tide
AM PM AM PM
18 Friday 3:20 1.2 4:06 -0.8 9:25 6.1 10:27 5.1
19 Saturday 4:12 0.8 4:42 -0.4 10:15 5.7 11:03 5.4
20 Sunday 5:07 0.5 5:19 0.2 11:08 5.1 11:43 5.6
21 Monday 6:06 0.4 5:58 0.8 —– — 12:07 4.5
22 Tuesday 7:13 0.4 6:40 1.5 12:26 5.7 1:17 3.8
23 Wednesday 8:29 0.4 7:30 2.1 1:15 5.6 2:47 3.3
24 Thursday 9:54 0.3 8:40 2.5 2:14 5.5 4:40 3.1
25 Friday 11:15 0.1 10:15 2.7 3:24 5.3 6:18 3.3
26 Saturday (12:21 -0.2) 11:41 2.6 4:40 5.2 7:19 3.6
27 Sunday —– — 1:14 -0.3 5:48 5.3 8:01 3.9
28 Monday 12:46 2.4 1:56 -0.4 6:45 5.3 8:33 4.0
1 Tuesday 1:35 2.1 2:32 -0.3 7:33 5.3 9:01 4.2
=========================================================================
This day in weather history
1899 – While much of the central and eastern U.S. was recovering from the most severe cold wave of modern history, the temperature at San Francisco soared to 80 degrees to
establish a record for month of February. (David Ludlum)
1959 – Some of the higher elevations of California were in the midst of a five day storm which produced 189 inches of snow, a single storm record for North America. (13th-19th)
(David Ludlum)
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