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Marine Weather and Ocean Conditions for
California Scuba Diving, Boating, & Fishing





Top Wave Height
Models		 Weather Station
& Buoy Data		 Satellite Images
& Charts		 Forecasts
Tides

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Last Update: March 31, 2002 Disclaimer


Wave Height Models
NOW
12 24 36 48 60 72
84 96 108 120 132 144
ALL
 		US Navy FNMOC North Pacific Wave Action Model - This is a very good model that uses data from satellites, local buoys, and navel ship observations to predict wave heights.  This view covers all of the North and Central Pacific Ocean icluding the coasts of Asia, North America, Central America, to the Artic.
NOW 12 24 36 48 ALL
US Naval Oceanographic Office Southern California Wave Action Model - This is a very good model that uses data from satellites, local buoys, and navel ship observations to predict wave heights.  This view covers from north of Pt, Arguello down into Mexico, all eight of the Channel Islands, Tanner, Cortes, Farnsworth, and Osborne Banks.
NOW 12 24 36 48 ALL
US Naval Oceanographic Office Catalina Channel Wave Action Model - This is a very good model that uses data from satellites, local buoys, and navel ship observations to predict wave heights.  This view covers Redondo Beach to San Diego, Cattalina Island, and San Clemente Island.
NOW
12 24 36 48 60 72
84 96 108 120 132 144
ALL
 		US Navy FNMOC Global Wave Action Model - Great for world wide wave visualization.  This view covers the whole earth.
daily Oceanweather Global Wave Action Model
Current Conditions
 Pt. Arena to Pt. Año Nuevo
Golden Gate
Pt. Año Nuevo to Lopez Pt.
Lopez Pt. to Pt. Conception
Pt. Conception to Mexico
San Pedro Channel
Long Beach Harbor
San Diego Bay 		UCSD (Sripps) CDIP California Swell Height Model - This model is usually not as reliable as the Navy WAM.  Often wind waves become the determing factor for conditions at the islands.  Thus even though these plots say conditions are good, they may not be.  Conversly, a large swell hieght does not mean undivable conditions.  Some of the best deep dives I have done is durring very large southern swells with long periods.
     The colors on these plots change when the wave heights increase above 10 feet.  Be careful and look at the scale before interpreting these charts.
Southern California Swell Model Description
Monterey Bay Sea Condition Examples (Chuck Tribolet)
3 Day Forecast
 Pt. Arena to Pt. Año Nuevo
Pt. Año Nuevo to Lopez Pt.
Lopez Pt. to Pt. Conception
Pt. Conception to Mexico
3 Day Forecast
 Southern California
Santa Barbara County
Ventura County
Los Angeles County
Orange County
San Diego County 		UCSD (Sripps) CDIP Southern California Coast Swell Height Model - These are somtimes useful when planing beach dives.
map Sea Ranch
map San Francisco/Ocean Beach
map Santa Cruz
map Marina
map Morro Bay
map Pismo Beach
map Avila Beach
map Ventura Point
map Ventura Pier
map County Line
map Leo Cariilo
map Topanga Point
map El Porto  ElPorto.com
map Manhattan Beach
map Torrance Beach/Maliga Cove
map PV Cove
map Seal Beach
map Huntington Beach
map Newport Jetties
map Newport Beach (Wedge)
map Newport Pier
map San Clemente
map Oceanside
map Cardiff (Swamis)
map Del Mar
map Pacific Beach
California Live Surf Cameras - All of the Cameras, except Sea Ranch, are provided by Swell.com (Surfline).  The Sea Ranch camera service is intermittent.


Top Wave Height
Models		 Weather Station
& Buoy Data		 Satellite Images
& Charts		 Forecasts
Tides

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Buoy & Coastal Weather Station Data, North to South
St. Georges
Eel River
Blunts Reef
Point Arena
Point Arena
Bodega
Point Reyes
California Bouy
San Fransisco
Half Moon Bay
Santa Cruz Harbor
Monterey
Diablo Canyon
Point San Luis
Santa Maria
Point Arguello
Point Arguello
Harvest
Point Conception
West Santa Barbara Channel
East Santa Barbara Channel
San Nicolas Island
Santa Monica Bay
Catalina RDG
San Pedro
San Clemente Island
Oceanside
Srcipps Pier
Point La Jolla
Point Loma
Tanner Bank 		     This is a collection of NOAA Buoys, CDIP (Scrips) Buoys and Shallow Water Arrays, and Coast Guard Weather Stations.  They are color coded and arranged North to South by latitude.
Color Code & Descriptions
  • NOAA Buoys provide wave height & period, sea surface temperature, wind speed and direction, and barometric pressure.  They do not provide wave direction.
         The National Data Buoy Center collects and distrubutes the data from 3m discus, the 6m NOMAD, & the 10 meter discus buoys.
  • CDIP Buoys provide wave height, period, direction, and energy spectra, but do not provide temperature or atmospheric data.  description & image
  • CDIP Arrays provide wave height, period, direction, and energy spectra, but do not provide temperature or atmospheric data.  description
  • C-MAN Stations are NOAA automated coastal weather stations that provide wind speed and direction and barometric pressure.  They do not provide any sea conditions.
    • Maps & Summaries
    California NOAA/CDIP Map
    Northern California NOAA/CDIP Map
    Southern California NOAA/CDIP Map
    NOAA California Map
    NOAA/CDIP Buoy Summary (JAVA)
    Definitions
    Significant Wave Height - The average of the largest third of waves during the sampling period.  This is the wave height that is predicted in NWS forecasts.
    Wind Wave Height - The portion of the significant wave height that is caused by local winds.
    Swell Height - The portion of significant wave height that is not caused by local winds.
    Wave Period - The time it takes one wave cycle to pass a point.
    Wave Cycle - A point on a wave to the same point on the next wave.  ex: peak to peak, or trough to trough
    Wave Frequency - The number of wave cycles that point in one second.
          frequency = 1/period
    Wind & Wave Direction - Direction is defined as the compass heading the wave or wind is coming from.
    Wave Angle - Is the direction in degrees the waves are coming from.


    Top Wave Height
    Models    		 Weather Station
    & Buoy Data    		 Satellite Images
    & Charts    		 Forecasts
    Tides

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    Satellite Images & Charts
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Sea Surface Temperature
    B&W GIF 1000×680
       Canada to GIF 890×530
       Cape Mendocino
    Color GIF 1124×707
    B&W GIF 1700×1267
    B&W TIF 1728×1129     		National Weather Service (NOAA) California Sea Surface Temperature Maps - The black & white charts have equal temperature contours every 1°C.  The color chart has the contours every 2°C.
    So. Cal. GIF 800×600
    Calif. GIF 800×600
    West Coast GIF 800×600
    NE Pacific GIF 624×765
    World GIF 628×427
    World GIF 1083×553
    World Anomaly GIF 1083×553
    World Typical GIF 1083×553     		US Navy Color Sea Surface Temperature Maps - The California, Southern California & West Coast Charts contain eddy current contours.
         The typical world temperature or climatology is the average sea surface temperature for this date.  The anomalous temperature is the difference of the climatology plot and the actual.  This shows both untypically cold & hot spots.
    So. Cal. GIF 730×670
    NE Pacific GIF 589×698     		UCSB ICESS Color Sea Surface Temperature Maps - These maps are made from satellite radiometer images with a map overlay.  They often have black area due to cloud cover, but are usually the most up to date.
    World GIF 1080×550
    land/sea GIF 640×480
    2 weeks MPG 640×480     		Univ. of Wisconsin SSEC Sea Surface Temperature - This derived from satallite readings and updated daily.  This chart is in °F.
    The land/sea image includes land temperatures & clouds, is also availible in a two week MPG animation.  These images are in °C.
    World GIF 743×435
    World Anomaly GIF743×435     		Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, Australia Sea Surface Temperature - These are composites for the previous month.  The shades change every 1°C.
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Wind & Barometric Pressure
    Monterey GIF 685×523
    So. Cal. GIF 693×528
    SF to San Diego GIF 643×510     		Naval Post Graduadte School Animated Wind Profile Maps - These maps animate the wind direction, speed ,and altitude vs. time.
    Sea Level GIF 783×630
    500 mb GIF 783×630
    300 mb GIF 783×630     		SFSU North East Pacific composite IR, isobar, & wind images - This is a wind and pressure chart superimposed over a IR satellite image.  key
    Sea Level GIF 576×605
    		SFSU West Coast composite IR, isobar, & wind image - This is a wind and pressure chart superimposed over a color enhanced IR satellite image.  key
    Now GIF 783×630
    24 Hrs GIF 783×630
    48 Hrs GIF 783×630     		SFSU North East Pacific Jetstream Charts - 300mb analysis & forcast.
    US West Coast GIF 900×700
    NE Pacific GIF 900×700     		Oceanweather Wind & Isobar Charts - Recent surface wind readings and isobars from bouys & ships at sea presented on an easy to read graphic.  key
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Visible Satellite Images
    NE Pacific JPG 768×512
        Previous     Animation
    No. Cal. JPG 512×512
        Previous     Animation
    Monterey JPG 512×512
        Previous     Animation
    Cen. Cal. JPG 512×512
        Previous     Animation
    So. Cal. JPG 512×512
        Previous     Animation
    San Diego JPG 512×512
        Previous     Animation     		NRL Monterey GOES 10 Images - The best closeup visible images of the California Coast.  There are also full sized Java based animations
    So Cal GIF 640×480
        JPG 640×480     Animation 640×480
    Western US clickable JPG 640×480     		NWS Oxnard GOES 10 Visible Images - Good images & very good JAVA animations.
    NE Pacific JPG 640×480
        Animation
    West Coast JPG 640×480
    So. Cal. GIF 640×480     		NOAA GEOS Server Visible Image - From the source!
    NOW
    -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
    -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12
    short loop long loop
    		Unisys GOES 10 North East Pacific Visible Images - The last 12 hours of daylight in 640×512 GIFS with US state & Canadian province boundrys.
    hemisphere GIF 480×480
    NE Pacific GIF 1024×900     		Univ. of Wisconsin SSEC GOES 10 Visible Images - Includes state & international boundries
    small GIF 512×512
        Animation
    large GIF 1024×1024
        Animation     		Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) Pacific Hemisphere GOES 10 Visible Images - These are very nice large color images with state, province, & international boundaries, latitude & longitude, and major estuaries superimposed.
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Infrared Satellite Images
    E Pacific JPG 1124×625
        Previous     Animation
    NE Pacific JPG 768×512
        Previous     Animation     		NRL Monterey GOES 10 Images - Includes sate, provincial, & international boundries, and lines of lattitude & logitude,
    Western US GIF 640×480
        JPG 640×480     Animation 640×480
    So Cal Fog GIF 640×480
        Animation 640×480     		NWS Oxnard GOES 10 Color Enhanced IR Images - Good images & very good JAVA animations.
    NE Pacific JPG 640×480
        Animation     		NOAA GEOS Server Infrared Image - From the source!
    NOW
    -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
    -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12
    short loop long loop
    		Unisys GOES 10 North East Pacific Infrared Images - The last 12 hours of daylight in 640×512 GIFS with US state & Canadian province boundrys.
    NOW
    -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
    -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12
    short loop long loop
    		Unisys GOES 10 North East Pacific Color Enhanced Infrared Images - The last 12 hours of daylight in 640×512 GIFS with US state & Canadian province boundrys.
    globe GIF 640×350
    hemisphere GIF 480×480
    NE Pacific GIF 1024×900     		Univ. of Wisconsin SSEC GOES Infrared Images - Includes state & international boundries
    small GIF 512×512
        Animation
    large GIF 1024×1024
        Animation     		Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) Pacific Hemisphere GOES 10 Infrared Images - These are very nice large color images with state, province, & international boundaries, latitude & longitude, and major estuaries superimposed.
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Water Vapor Satellite Images
    NE Pacific JPG 768×512
        Previous     Animation     		NRL Monterey GOES 10 Images - Includes sate, provincial, & international boundries, and lines of lattitude & logitude,
    NE Pacific JPG 640×480
        Animation     		NOAA GEOS Server Water Vapor Image - From the source!
    NOW
    -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
    -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12
    short loop long loop
    		Unisys GOES 10 North East Pacific Water Vapor Images - The last 12 hours of daylight in 640×512 GIFS with US state & Canadian province boundrys.
    NE Pacific GIF 1024×900 Univ. of Wisconsin SSEC GOES 10 Water Vapor Images - Includes state & international boundries
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar
    Surface Radar Images
    Latest GIF 768×496
    Animation GIF 768×496
    Java Animation GIF 768×496
    Summary GIF 768×496
        key
    Precipitation GIF 768×496
    Base Reflectivity GIF 768×496     		intellicast California Nexrad Radar Images - Shows current preciptation, totals, & animations.  description
    Top Sea Surface
    Temperature    		 Wind &
    Pressure    		 Visible Infrarad Water Vapor Radar


    Top Wave Height
    Models    		 Weather Station
    & Buoy Data    		 Satellite Images
    & Charts    		 Forecasts
    Tides

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    Weather Forecasts
    NWS Regional Forcast Maps
    Java Map Image Map NWS Western Region Western States Forcasts - If you have a DSL or faster connection you should use the JAVA map.
    Java Map Image Map NWS Eureka
    Java Map Image Map NWS Monterey
    Java Map Image Map NWS Oxnard
    Java Map Image Map NWS San Diego
    Marine Forecasts
    20 to 60 NM Out to 20 NM NWS Pt. St. George to Cape Mendocino
    20 to 60 NM Out to 20 NM NWS Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena
    20 to 60 NM
        UCSD     		Out to 20 NM
        UCSD     		NWS Pt. Arena to Pigeon Pt.
      bay
        UCSD     		NWS San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun Bays & the West Delta
    20 to 60 NM
        UCSD     		Out to 20 NM
        UCSD     		NWS Pigeon Pt. to Pt.Piedras Blancas
      bay
        UCSD     		NWS Monterey Bay
    Out to 60 NM
        UCSD     		NWS Pt. Piedras Blancas to Pt. Arguello
      E. Channel
        UCSD     		NWS East Santa Barbra Channel
    Outer Waters
        UCSD     		Inner Waters
        UCSD     		NWS Pt. Mugu to San Mateo Pt. out to Santas Cruz Is. to San Clemente Is.
    Inner Waters
        UCSD     		NWS San Mateo Pt. to Mexican Border
    Extended Forcasts
    California intellicast California Extended Forecasts
    California Weather Channel California Extended Forecasts - also includes a regional conditions map.
    California Weather Underground California Extended Forecasts - four day forecasts including day & night summaries.
    Tides
    Crescent City
    Humbolt Bay
    San Francisco
    Los Angeles
    San Diego     		NOAA Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) California Tide Tables - These are tide tables for the entire year at points along the California coast.  The site includes local correction factors, a map with links to recent graphical histories with 24 hour predictions, and a great tutorial detailing the astronomical forces driving the tides.


    Top Wave Height
    Models    		 Weather Station
    & Buoy Data    		 Satellite Images
    & Charts    		 Forecasts
    Tides

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    Top Wave Height
    Models    		 Weather Station
    & Buoy Data    		 Satellite Images
    & Charts    		 Forecasts
    Tides

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