Surftopsail's Blog

TD 16 Forms and Surf is on the Way

surftopsail — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:02:04 +0000

Currently Tropical Depression 16 is still only at 35mph but if it increases to 45mph, it could become a named storm, Nicole. Current projections have the storm passing threw and out of North Carolina by Thursday into Friday morning. Surf forecasts predict a substantial wave height with some areas in Southern North Carolina having offshore wind conditions. Swell should continue threw the weekend. More info provided by the Weather Channel at link. http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-depression-sixteen-storm-hurricane-nicole_2010-09-27

Please check www.SurfTopsail.com for photos and videos of resent swells. You can also browse past posts on this blog site for photos, videos and news from past swells at Surf City, Topsail Island, NC.

Hurricane Igor is Gone But Not The Memories

surftopsail — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 01:09:56 +0000

The swell from Igor started easing in on Thursday and Friday, peaked Saturday and Sunday and there were still a few leftovers Monday and Tuesday. I took alot of pics over the weekend and will make a slideshow soon, but for now I am simply blown away at these photos by JM Wiggington from Sunday morning Sept 19th 2010. Check out more photos and videos of Surf City Topsail Island NC here: http://www.surftopsail.com/

photo by JM Wiggington

Another photo sent to me taken by Barbara Bowden shows the size of some of the waves compared to the Surf City Ocean Pier NC on Saturday Sept, 18. And the 2nd pic is a nice little barrel.

photo by Barbara Bowden

Igor and Julia – 2 Cat 4 Hurricanes in Atlantic Now

surftopsail — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:31:25 +0000

Lagging behind Hurricane Igor is a strong Hurricane Julia. She strengthened to a Cat 4 Hurricane overnight and forecasts currently have her heading north into the mid-Atlantic but it’s still possible she could make a turn and head west. Right now she poses no threat to the East Coast.

Hurricane Igor weakened slightly overnight to a Cat 4 Hurricane but can still regenerate to a Cat 5 Hurricane again today. Forecasters are anticipating(?) Igor to make a turn to the north over the weekend.

In Southern North Carolina, Swell from Igor is expected to arrive Thursday and peak on Sunday and still have some leftovers threw Monday or longer. So wax your boards, check your leashes and eat your Wheaties.

more surf photography and video at www.surftopsail.com

Igor may Become 1st Cat 5 Hurricane of the 2010 Season

surftopsail — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:20:55 +0000

Igors strenghtening has leveled off as of 5am this morning 9-13-2010, but forecasts predict the hurricane to continue to strengthen to Cat 5 with sustained winds of 155 mph. It should slowly weaken as it heads toward the East Coast. Tropical Storm Julia is forecast to become a Hurricane by Tuesday.

8pm Update 9-13-2010 It doesn’t appear at this point that Igor will be a threat to the East Coast but forecasts are unsure if it will impact Bermuda or not. High Surf and rip currents will affect much of the East Coast Starting Thursday thru the weekend. Tropical Storm Julia is forecast to make a turn north and steer far away from the East Coast and stay somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. More graphs below provided by the weatherchannel:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-storm-igor-hurricane_2010-09-08

More photos and video of surfing at www.surftopsail.com

Igor Becomes a Cat 1 Hurricane

surftopsail — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 09:43:06 +0000

As of 5am Eastern Daylight time Hurricane Igor has sustained winds of 80mph and is forecast to become a Cat 3 or higher hurricane. Currently heading west, it is projected to make a turn Northwest by mid week. There is another strong Tropical Wave moving off the coast of Africa which we will need to also watch as it may become another hurricane. More graphs below provided by the WeatherChannel:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-storm-igor-hurricane_2010-09-08

More photos and videos of hurricanes at www.surftopsail.com

Tropical Storm Igor Develops in Atlantic

surftopsail — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:57:09 +0000

Tropical Storm Igor has developed and is expected to generate into a Hurricane over the next several days and tracking forecasts have it turning northwest by mid-week which might mean we have more hurricane surf one the way on the East Coast. Below are more graphs provide by the Weather Channel:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-storm-igor-hurricane_2010-09-08

www.surftopsail.com

Thank You Hurricane Earl

surftopsail — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:51:42 +0000

The weathermen got it right this time and hurricane Earl stayed well offshore away from Southern North Carolina. With the winds close to Hurricane strength – 70mph – the Outer Banks of NC seemed to get the worst wind and flooding from Earl but still not alot of damage and in Surf City Topsail Island NC, we got waves. Below are a few Epic photos with credits below each photo. I got some surf video but for now I am only posting the wave video that I got from the Surf City Ocean Pier at night on Sept. 3 2010

Hurricane Earl Waves at Surf City Ocean Pier

http://www.youtube.com/user/SurfTopsail#p/u/12/P5RqM2yZy_Y

Chris Hill on SUP – photo by Justin Edwards

photo by J.M. Wigginton

photo by Ed Caram

see more area photos and surf video at www.surftopsail.com

Tropical Storm Warning in Effect for Onslow Pender as Hurricane Earl passes

surftopsail — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:17:11 +0000

Alerts: http://www.weather.com/weather/alerts/localstatealerts/?areaid=NCZ098&phenomena=TR&office=KMHX&etn=1007&significance=W&wxlayer=radar&zoom=7&camefrom=national

Surf City NC is in High Threat Area for Hurricane Earl

surftopsail — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:03:48 +0000

While Surf City Topsail Island is in the High Risk Advisory Area, NOAA data is still showing the hurricane track of Earl to stay way offshore http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/latest_run/wna.anim.gif That said, it still might be a good idea to stock up on a gallon of water per person in your household per day and have enough for 2 to 3 days in case the power is out. Have a flashlight with extra batteries, a battery operated radio and fill up your gas tank in your vehicle if possible. And maybe buy some ready to eat canned goods, insect spray and put some dry clothes in plastic bags if you are going to stay on Topsail Island during the hurricane. Hopefully there will not be majorly high winds because the eye is supposed to stay offshore but the storm will pass just at high tide early Friday morning so the storm surge could be an issue. Remember in most situations, if the winds get to be 70mph, there will be no emergency services available until the wind backs off.

Hurricane Earl has reached CAT 4 Strength and is sharing the spotlight with a weak TD Fiona

surftopsail — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:54:33 +0000

While Earl has turned into a major Cat 4 hurricane at sustained winds of 135mph, TD Fiona, at just 40mph sustained winds lags just behind Earl as they both move along the East Coast. Computer models predict Earl to sideswipe NC along the outer banks Friday morning around 2am. It doesn’t appear that Earl will be a direct hit or that the eye – the strongest area of the storm – will reach shore, but weather experts are expecting high winds and waves and flooding.

It seems locals at Surf City Topsail Island enjoyed a nice clean chest to head high wave from Danielle on Monday after having to deal with rip currents and onshore/sideshore winds over the weekend.

With Hurricane Earl and Fiona, there will be waves but the conditions may not be favorable til after the storms pass. if you need some good website links to help you predict the best day and time to go surf, you can check out the www.surftopsail.com surf forecasting page here: http://www.surftopsail.com/webcams__surf_forecast_links

Here is a updated projected map for hurricane Earl and another projected map for TD Fiona. There are also links to other maps below each graph provided by the Weather Channel.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-depression-seven-storm-hurricane-earl_2010-08-23

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-depression-eight-storm-hurricane-fiona-sw_2010-08-31