I am hoping to make this trip starting in October of this year. Do you have an opinion regarding the “weather window” in mid October? From what I have read I should be OK although there are always exceptions. I thought I would keep an eye on the group of people in the Baja Ha Ha race that usually head south from San Diego to Cabo in late October. If there are no storms developing off the coast of Mexico that would eventually head northwest then I thought I would leave San Diego on a rhumb line for the “Islands.” If you have an opinion or experiences contrary to mine, I would appreciate the input. Sincere and personal regards, Jim Alexander
Hi Jim: Regarding a “weather window” for going to the Islands: First, there is no way to tell today what will be happening in October. However, a few generalizations can be made about the odds. Number One is that October is one of the worst months, as the risks from hurricanes will be quite high.
The potential problems along the coast are less than something catching you on the way west. However, I think the Ha Ha starts a little early. So, my first advice would be to wait until mid-November, and keep an eye on what is happening with the weather patterns and water temperatures. You can do this by checking both the Marine Prediction Center weather faxes as well as the Hurricane Center data–web site addresses for both are in the weather links area of setsail.com.
I would not wait to see what the Ha Ha rally folks are doing. Their weather patterns will be quite different than yours. What you will need to be watching are storms, which form off the coast a ways, and then track west to northwest. If you watch the cloud patterns (also available on the web) and the easterly waves coming off the Sahara, these will all give you a feel for how active a Fall it is. If it appears quiet–no easterly waves, and not much convective (cloud) activity, then you might consider moving the date up.
Good luck–Steve Dashew
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 30, 1999)
