Well ladies and gentlemen here we are in the month of December and water temps are still in the mid 60’s. Is this coincidence with global warming? Perhaps there is something causing this delightful weather that we are loving in winter…The answer is the kid has come to play this winter. Yes the famed El Nino has returned to the shores of sunny Southern California. El Nino in a nutshell can be characterized as an abnormal increase in warm water temperatures that are brought up from the equator. To most people in Orange County El Nino is just a term associated with rain that will slow their morning commute. However when this term is heard by a surfer it is a signal of excitement as perfect waves and warm water are looming in the future.
The last time Huntington Beach encountered a significant El Nino was during the winter of 1997 and this brought consistent surf to the region with perfect water temperatures. Spots along the coast that were not known to produce a surfable wave were suddenly lighting up as hidden gems that could be surfed due to El Nino’s power. The famed Newport Point in Newport Beach resembled Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu as it brought countless barrels for the winter. 1997 was a year that every surfer who was there to experience it will never forget…
Now here we are in 2015 the rumors have been spread and the forecast has been repeated that we are in for the mother of all El Nino’s. Although the rain has not come the ocean temps are clearly warmer than last winter. We are in the water everyday at Learn To Surf and have just begun to consistently wear wetsuits as this summer and fall were so warm due to the equatorial currents. There is a buzz in Huntington Beach because the reports are in for the first week of December and big surf looks to be coming our way.
However for the beginner surfer or novice who is just getting back into the sport there is nothing to fear about El Nino. We still do surf lessons everyday, but you wont be out surfing giant swells. Rather we will keep you on the inside ridding reform waves. Our surf instructors are experts at reading tides, swell patterns, and currents to make sure your experience at Learn To Surf is a safe one. We hope you come down to share a truly once and a life time opportunity to surf during our El Nino as the water is rarely this warm in the winter.