Posted by Eric Frasco on November 07, 2002 at 13:29:35:
In Reply to: Rain affecting Viz posted by secondhand on November 07, 2002 at 10:10:19:
Actually, when it just starts raining, it means that the cold front is sliding in under a warm front. The winds shift 360 degrees during this process, so you may actually find calmer conditions than when the wind has been blowing out of the NW, as it usually does.
Also, as you exit the water, your gear gets a free rinse!
After the storm front passes, the swell usually picks up and conditions get bad.
From my experience, rain does not adversely affect visibility. It is the silt in the run-off and silt stirred up by wind driven waves and swell that ruin visibility.
And once the run-off starts getting into the ocean, conditions are unhealthy - as noted in some of the other postings. I've heard it recommended that you wait 3 days after rain storms to let the bacteria and contamination settle out.
-Eric-