Today across the inner waters of Monterey County, marine conditions remain calm and highly favorable for local boaters. In Monterey Bay, light afternoon west winds around 5 knots will gently rise to between 5 and 10 knots late in the day, maintaining a smooth ocean surface. The average wave sizes within the protected bay environments are hovering around a clean 3 feet, presenting little to no chop for regional mariners.
Venturing further out into the open coastal zones spanning from Point Pinos down toward Point Piedras Blancas, the conditions become progressively more active. West to northwest winds are currently blowing at 5 to 10 knots but are expected to increase to a brisker 10 to 15 knots by this evening. Consequently, the average wave sizes out in these exposed coastal sectors are tracking larger, generally running between 4 and 6 feet.
Recent data collected from nearby offshore buoys indicates a primary northwest wind swell pushing through the area at a size of 3 to 5 feet, carrying a relatively short and choppy wave period of 8 to 9 seconds. Simultaneously, a subtle, cross-crossing secondary swell is arriving from the southwest, registering at a smaller size of 2 feet but carrying a much longer, energy-packed period of 14 seconds.
Tidal tracking for Monterey Harbor recorded a high tide of 3.82 feet earlier this morning at 11:34 AM, and the water levels are steadily receding toward a minor low tide of approximately 2.03 feet later this afternoon at 2:34 PM, keeping the daily tidal swing tight and predictable.
Looking ahead into tomorrow, marine conditions are forecast to deteriorate rapidly as strong northwest winds build to 15 to 25 knots by the afternoon. This wind surge will drive steep, hazardous seas up to 5 to 7 feet, creating significantly rougher territory that will likely trigger small craft warnings later in the week.