predicting visibility

[charlie.]

dose anyone know a way of predicting the visibility for the week ahead? i can roughly predict swell size by watching the forecast but and i thought that would be enough but ive noticed that some times there can be quite a good swell but vis is still good. ant thoughts?

 

[A.godber]

I used to surf and i always used magic seaweed to tell me swell wind etc its pretty good but as far as predicting the vis i havent been out enough to get an idea so something i would be interested in knowing to

 

[Eurico]

Hi!

That depends a lot from place to place.
But the direction of the wind and current it’s the key.
You need to have the specifics of the place and learn from the experience.
It’s not an exact science but it works for me.
For example, here in the Portuguese west coast when the wind is blowing from NW, USUALY we don´t have a good visibility. In the Lisbon area I like to play with the tide because there is a big river, so I prefer when the tide inverse the flow of the river.

 

[LENDERYOU]

Hey,
this is something i have been wondering aswell, i didnt know wether rain fall had a part to play? I surf regularly and also use magic seaweed but thiers a difference between a swell and waves generated by an onshore wind. Im guessing that the onshore wind will cause very bad vis.

 

[charlie.]

form what ive been looking at (up on the north east coast (uk)) is what the weather is like in the north sea crossed with surf reports, wind direction and cloud cover but ive had a few days when the vis should have been terrible but it was pretty good so i think my system is a bit off

 

[AZ Rob]

I was in Rocky Point Mexico a couple of months ago, waves were bad wind 5-10 mph and vis was about 5 ft. One day no wind or waves and water vis was still 5 ft.
If there isn't a current it take a long time for water vis to clear up.
Plus the seaweed adds to the factor to.