Large Wave Swells Pound Florida East Coast, Pictures
Posted by Jeff Gammons on 08 May 2007 at 7:50 pm
Tagged as: Florida Weather, Storm Photography, Waves
Spent most of the day traveling up and down the central and Southern Florida east coast (about 158 miles worth) in search of the large swells / surf currently pounding the beaches. The massive low pressure system, with gale force winds, continues to sit and spin off the Southeast United States coastline. Sustained winds over 35 knots the last 36 hours, over a large wind fetch area, has produced ocean wave swells up to 15 feet at Florida east coast beaches today. 
These large swells are coming in about every 13-18 seconds, in sets of 3-4, making for some killing surfing, especially further south into south-central Florida were the winds are offshore make the surfing conditions cleaner and less choppy. There has been some major beach erosion in Palm Beach County, at Lantana and Lake Worth beaches. Other erosion issues were also taking place up on Hutchinson Island, where the ocean was creeping closer with high tide to the condos.
As you can see in these photos / video captures of surfing, large swells and wave action of stock video I shot today, it was pretty big for Florida standards. This was a late spring cold-core low pressure system that formed off the east coast several days ago and is now slowly drifting westward towards the Florida-Georgia-South Carolina coastlines. There is some slight concern now that it could possible take on more tropical characteristics or develop a subtropical inner core over the next 12-24 hours. The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring this storm for signs of more tropical characteristics, and will send in a recon flight if need be tomorrow morning if it continues to hold together. Convection has increased somewhat throughout the day, and the low-level circulation has held it’s own as well during the day. It’s currently moving over the warming waters of the Gulf stream and this might be the small window of opportunity for it to become more subtropical in nature.
Were still about 23 days away from the start of the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and here we are already talking tropical weather off of Florida and the Southeast. I’ll closely be monitoring the low pressure storm overnight and tomorrow. I plan to focus on this in my morning blog update, so check back for better details tomorrow. I’ll also upload some of today’s crazy surfing and swell video from Florida area beaches. It sure was a wild day beach day for me.
Other Posts Of Interest:
- Greensburg Kansas Tornado Rated EF-5
- Greensburg and other Tornado Video from May 4, 2007
- Florida Drought Scenes 2007, Severe Levels Now
- Florida Drought Photos & Video 2007
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Cool! Caught some video from a local TV station down there covering the coastal flooding in Palm Beach from the large waves. Great pics!
Thanks… I’m going to try and edit up some video from today after dinner. It will likely get published in tomorrows blog update. Another high tide late tonight (1-2am) so therre could be another round of swell surge flooding.
Like your satellite shot, the radar is showing quite an impressive cold core (why it’s not a hurricane) Low that is rotating away off the GA and SC coast. You don’t see many of these systems so tightly enclosed. An interesting sight to see in this all to often occurance of unusual weather.
The new normal is abnormal. And I am thinking this is what the upcoming hurricane season is going to be like.
Hey J! Good to hear from ya! Yeah very interesting indeed. Love the wannbe tropical look. Convection having a hard time tonight, so not sure if this will truely make it to subtropical-tropical next 24 hours.
Could be a flipp’in, whoa Nelly! of a season.
I need some sleep! Started shooting video at 7am this morning, and I’m still up and it’s midnight. Give me a ring J.
Hard to imagine someone gets paid to have such a beautiful day! I am in the wrong business:)
I beleive our first tropical depression is not to be- then againI..i could wake up later and it could be. Always good for a scare to get started on Hurricane Supplies.
Our water situation is still dangerious- need to stock up on extra water starting this weekend before the lines get to long.
Believe it or not, it actually looks a tad more organized early this morning (5:30am). Deeper convection, with some more established banding. The center of the circulation is still open and void of convection, but that’s typical of a subtropical type storm, so this might have the possibility of becoming subtropical. Will have to wait and see if NHC sends in a recon flight today.