Over the Years I have always been fascinated by Dive Captains, Boat Captains or anyone Who has Extensive Dive Leadership Experience on How they seem to be able to judge and Plan Around Weather Events.
In Southern California, many think we are Not as skilled, probobly because our Weather is Mostly mild. However, No Matter Where You Dive, Being Familiar with Weather Patterns is Wholly Important to Protecting You and Your Buddy from Dangerous Weather or Sea Conditions.
Lately We have been asking trusted Friends and Customers how they Decide Whether to Dive or Stay Back and what is most important. A lot of Divers are concerned withthe Wind .
The Wind is a Major Deal Any Where you dive. In So Cal the Channel Crossings to any of our islands, we need to know what the wind will be doing at specific times of day to make solid safety decisions.
I was introduced to a Mobile Application a few years ago when on our yearly wreck diving trip to Morehead City. A Giant Boomer of a Thunder Storm Shook us Awake with lightening stikes becoming closer. Wind Howled and Sent the Rain Sideways.
We called our Local Operator, Disovery Diving in Beaufort NC and Talked to the Dive Staff and the Boat Captain. One of the Divemasters on our Boat told me We were Definately Going out. I was Shocked he said that to me and I had to ask one more time "Did you say we ARE Going out ?"
He laughed, He Told me to Look at the Radar Now App and to Set my Local Station to our Region. Pretty Amazing, an early morning lesson from the dive guides for weather planning. This was a storm cel that was moving so fast that when it passed we were faced with Blue Flat water and beautiful rainbows. By the time that we made it offshore to the wrecks all was nice. It was an Amazing Day of Diving. Without Seeing the storm on the App I might have told Dean That I think that "he had too many Biscuits made with Special Butter". But when I saw how fast the storm was moving on the App, We loaded up the gear and headed for the boat..
Here are some Apps Which you should Explore and Download to help you get the Diving Weather Plan Started.
1. California - CDIP.UCSD.EDU - A FREE App / Website Cdip website or Cdip website. Check out the Forecast it shows Swell Direction, Wind Speed, And Updates a Few times of day to show Nowcast Wave Models and Forecast. https://cdip.ucsd.edu/m/forecast/model_grid/?wave_model=socal
2. Windy - A Paid App - Check out Los Angeles Wind here
https://www.windy.com/?34.113,-118.189,5
3 Surfline - a Paid App with a 7 Day Free Trail to try it out
https://www.surfline.com/surf-reports-forecasts-cams
4. Radar Now App has a Free Version and a Reliable Mobile Version for $.
We are Constantly using a Combination of these apps to help us plan our Outings, such as our Spectre Boat trip on Friday Feb 9 2024. Wanna Go on Our Spectre Boat Day Call Mackenzie or Kam at 323 969 9666 and check the weather ...We are supposed to have Sun and Calm Seas ! Come on Mother Nature Give us a Break, We want to Go Diving.
