Photo of the Day: Pucker Factor

If you were thinking of going out for a daysail today anywhere along the Washington, Oregon or Northern California coast, you might want to rethink those plans. A 957 mb low is spinning up off the West Coast with hurricane force winds predicted to hit today.

While Oregon will see the brunt of the storm — 65-85 knot winds with upwards of 45-ft seas — Northern California will also get spanked with 45-60 knots and 27-ft seas in the northern portion. NOAA has issued a storm warning for the entire coast as far south as Point Arena, and a gale warning to Pigeon Point. They are also warning of hazardous seas through Wednesday.

What’s bad news for sailors could be good news for surfers as the Mavericks Surf Contest is slated to ‘start’ this Friday off Half Moon Bay. The contest is unique in that its ‘start date’ is really just a guideline — once conditions are deemed ‘perfect’  by event organinzers, 24 pre-picked surf gods will have just 24 hours to make their way to Half Moon Bay and get suited up. The call could come anytime between December 7 and March 31. The contest was cancelled last year as conditions were never acceptable so organizers have to be drooling over the early start to the storm season.