Just wondering if the conditions were super gusty in St. Augi Sunday evening? Ponce inlet was!! It was strong but reminded me of gusty west winds. javascript:emoticon(':?') Eddie, (or anyone else) could you help explain...was it because of the low level clouds, or a combination of things? (take me to school bro)

Thanks!

Yes, the wind was super gusty on Sunday in northeast Florida. I was flying a 9 meter Waroo, and it seemed like at times I was almost overpowered, and the rest of the time a little underpowered. It was a challenge in the waves when I was trying to drop in on a set wave and the wind would die, or gust to over 30!

Frontal winds are always pretty gusty here in north Florida, much more so than the summer thermal. I think it has to do with the temperature difference between the air and the water. The water temps are still in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees, and the air temps dropped pretty dramatically yesterday afternoon, probably low 60s at Matanzas. So the wind was probably already a little gusty, but then the temperature differential creates an unstable boundary layer near the surface as the warm air from the water rises. This enhances any inherent variability in the wind, similar to the way west winds passing over land are super gusty.

Don't take it from me though. This comes from the Forest Encyclopedia Network, and pretty much supports my theory:

Cold fronts

The passage of a cold front differs from that of a warm front. The wind change is usually sharp and distinct, even when the air is so dry that few if any clouds accompany the front. Ahead of a cold front, the surface wind is usually from the south or southwest. As the front approaches, the wind typically increases in speed and often becomes quite gusty. If cold air aloft overruns warm air ahead of the front at the surface, the resulting instability may cause violent turbulence in the frontal zone. The wind shift with the passage of a cold front is abrupt and may be less than 45° or as much as 180°.

After the front has passed, the wind direction is usually west, northwest, or north. Gustiness may continue for some time after the frontal passage, because the cooler air flowing over warmer ground tends to be unstable. This is particularly true in the spring months. If the temperature contrast is not great, however, the winds soon become steady and relatively gentle.