AWT Coming to Santa Cruz!

[gerritt]

Assuming you are not dead, most of you know the AWT is coming for its second year to Waddell. The contest kicks off 5/3, but festivities begin the day before with demos from Goya, including SUP's. Most of the pros are in town beginning this weekend. I've also been informed Hot Sails will be dropping in to various sites in the are with demo sails. It should be fun.

I'm writing to get Mike Godsey to stick his neck out and predict what the conditions might be like? Come on Mike, you got April fools right 10 days before it happened. I'm one of your biggest fans! I know you can do it!

[chophop]

Gerritt:
Looks like forecasting a week out is very speculative. Here's what the NWS has to say. Neither of their options looks promising for stout NW wind:

THE RIDGE IS THEN FORECAST TO FLATTEN BY
MIDWEEK WITH THE GFS BRINGING AN UPPER TROUGH TO THE COAST AND
POSSIBLY BRINGING RAIN CHANCES BACK TO THE AREA BY NEXT
WEEKEND. HOWEVER THE ECMWF BUILDS A RIDGE OVER CALIFORNIA BY THIS
TIME SO WE`LL SEE.

[mikecole]

Better news regarding Wind for AWT Santa Cruz. This from respected central coast PG&E meterologist John Lindsey:

...
A classic Central Coast spring weather pattern will return
on Tuesday with afternoon strong to gale force (25- to 38-mph)
northwesterly winds and night and morning coastal low clouds
and fog. This patterns should continue through next Friday.

The NWS has also reported that the GFS outlier calling for rain has come into agreement with the ECMWF model calling for dry weather and seasonal temps. The precise position of the NPH will determine Waddell wind but right now the synoptic pattern looks good for classic spring time conditions.

Mike C.