Powerful Winds, Rain and Pounding Surf-OBX Experiences Nor’Easter

Map with warning areas indicated from earlier today, Sunday. A high wind warning is more powerful than a gale warning.
Map with warning areas indicated from earlier today, Sunday. A high wind warning is more powerful than a gale warning.

The winds are howling, the seas are building to 10-14’ and the rain was coming down in sheets earlier. Thankfully, the rain has let up for the time being, but a curtain call is predicted for tomorrow.

All the elements are there for a classic nor’easter—and that’s what this is.

This is the same system that is burying parts of western North Carolina and Virginia under a foot and a half and sometimes even two feet of snow.

Five or six days out it was predicted to be a very powerful storm, and the snow forecasts for the mountains seem pretty accurate. Interestingly, though, there has been some real fluctuations in the Outer Banks forecast.

There was never any doubt that the winds would be blowing hard from the north and northeast, but sustained 50 mph winds recorded at the Field Research Facility in Duck—the Duck Pier—and in Kill Devil Hills were not a part of the original forecast.

The forecast changed about six or seven hours ago to reflect stronger winds than originally expected—and yes, we are experiencing those winds right now.

It will be interesting to see what things look like in the daylight tomorrow. We don’t expect any soundside flooding along the northern Outer Banks, but ocean overwash is predicted. If would be surprising if it did not occur in the areas that are prone to it.

Tomorrow is looking a bit better than today, although a bit better is the best we can say at this point. The winds should come down a bit and there will be rain, but not the hard driving rain we had today.

The rest of the week look very nice right now.

Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall, the Outer Banks is an exciting place to visit. Check out our listings at Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates for the best the Outer Banks has to offer.

Hot Days, Cold Waters on the Outer Banks

Sea surface temperatures off the Outer Banks, July 24. The Rutgers Coastal Observation Lab map is a bit difficult to follow but the blue next to the Outer Banks shows colder near shore waters.
Sea surface temperatures off the Outer Banks, July 24. The Rutgers Coastal Observation Lab map is a bit difficult to follow but the blue next to the Outer Banks shows colder near shore waters.
Hot Days Create Cold Waters

The daytime temperature have been pretty hot on the Outer Banks for the past couple of days. Actually, the summer overall, has been warm with most days over 90.

That heat hasn’t transferred to the ocean, though.

It’s a shock to the system hitting jumping into the water when the temperature difference between air and water is 30 degrees or so. To be sure, after the surprise wears off, it sure feels go, but that first burst of cold is a jolt to the system.

For the past four or five weeks the ocean water temperature has been struggling to get out of the 50s, and today’s 66 degree water temp was the highest it’s been in some time. Just two days ago, the water temperature was 58 degrees at the Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility (Duck Pier).

Which begs the question, “If it’s been so hot outside, why has the water stayed so cold.”

The Explanation

There’s a combination of factors that are creating that wide temperature spread between air temperature and water temperature.

It’s hard to say just what the most important piece of the puzzle is, but starting with the wind is a good place.

For almost the entire summer to date, the wind has been consistently from the southwest. Summertime winds are generally from that direction, but this year there has been no significant deviation from that.

The way ocean temperatures vary is the next piece of the puzzle. In January, Outer Banks ocean temperatures are in the low 50s. Typically by mid July, they are around 85—a 30 degree variance.

What is heating the water is sunlight. Remembering high school physics, cold air and cold water sink, meaning the warmer water is on the surface and the colder water sinks to the bottom.

During an extended period of offshore winds—southwest—the warmer surface water is pushed away from the shore, allowing the colder water to upwell and come ashore.

Pretty cool? Or cold, perhaps.

What’s with the OBX Summer Surfing Waves?

Typical summer wave action on the Outer Banks. The fishing has not been bad at all.
Typical summer wave action on the Outer Banks. The fishing has not been bad at all.

Somehow the legendary surf of the Outer Banks just doesn’t seem to be happening this summer. Actually this summer isn’t a lot different than any other summer . . . Outer Banks, summertime, big waves . . . just isn’t going to happen.

Dr. Jeff Hanson has been studying waves just about his entire adult life, currently does the surf forecasting for OBXSURFINFO.com, but before that he was part of the Field Research Facility  (FRF) at Duck—the Duck Pier. The Duck Pier, surprising as it may be, is considered the preeminent wave research facility worldwide.

He recently wrote an excellent blog for OBXSURFINFO.com explaining what’s happening, and for surfers hoping for some big wave action, take five or ten minutes to read the blog and lower your expectations.

Basically, what’s happening is the great weather we’re experiencing is at least partially a result of the Bermuda High, a somewhat stationary high pressure area that rotates clockwise creating classic trade wind patterns.

Those trade winds consistently create small waves—knee to waist high—at eight to ten second intervals, good to learn on or maybe a fun ride but not as exciting as the fall waves we experience.

The blog goes into a lot more detail, and surfers especially will probably find what Dr. Hanson has to say interesting. Particularly interesting is a chart of 35 years of wave action recorded by the FRF.

Great info and well written too.

#joelambjr