Could The Shize Be On - Part 1

What will La Pinche Niña mean for cobbs around the globe?  In this post, we will explore the potential impact of the nasty niña on loggers trying to charge in the Caribbean.

First, what is La Niña? La Niña is defined as cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific ocean that impact global weather patterns. La Niña conditions recur every few years and can persist for as long as two years. 




While loggers located at Lat: 18.3427  Long: 67.2504 have been seen charging on their longboards this fall, one must wonder what winter has in store for logging cobbs en el Caribe.

a cobb on a log - old school banana peeling

What may happen...

Changes in the storm track over the eastern US and western Atlantic during a La Niña event will have a significant impact on the surf outlook for the region during the winter of 2011-2012.

As shown above, the typical storm track is both further north and displaced from the Gulf Coast/East Coast to the Great Lakes region during La Niña winters when compared to El Niño events. This will result in fewer and weaker NW swell events for the Caribbean over the coming months according to Surfline. 

There are several factors that play into the strength of trade winds over the Caribbean, but it appears we will again see moderate to strong trade winds impact the region through the winter months.  More wind & less surf.  Hmmm.  So much for the glass!

We should also be keeping an eye on the far north Atlantic, as there is some indication that we may see an increase in storm activity during the winter months due to the ongoing La Niña event. Swell activity in the north Atlantic would send down occasional longer period NNE/NE swells to the Caribbean. The best place to take advantage of those swells will be at the spots that can handle the typical wintertime ENE trade winds.  In other words, see you in Rincón.

So, how does one combat La Niña?  It's easy...

KCAGTWH