Puget sound diving conditions forecasts

[dtabas]

I'm new to diving (recently completed open water, drysuit, and nitrox cert) and like to "do my homework" before most outdoor adventures. I'm looking for reliable sources for ocean currents, tides, and wave heights around the Puget sound. Magic Seaweed only has forecasts for two locations in the sound and Edmonds Underwater Park isn't one of them. Ocean currents have been even harder to find online. Does anyone have recommendations on which websites to use to check forecasts for diving conditions? P.S. what other factors do you consider when planning a dive? TIA

 

[Cthippo]

Honestly, I just google it and take whatever comes up. There are only a few actual measured tide stations, and everything is inferred from those. NOAA produces the base data and the interpretations and other sites publish it. Some places will also have current predictions, but usually you just have to infer current from tide.

Tide Predictions - NOAA Tides & Currents is the NOAA tide site for Edmonds

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Some parts of this may be useful:

People like Fritz Merkel (@fmerkel) and Eric Askilsrud (on FB, not SB AFAIK) are the two top people knowledgeable for making adjustments from measurement stations. If they don't know, then likely no other divers do.

 

[davehicks]

In the July issue of my dive club's newsletter i wrote an article about dive planning and safety in Puget Sound. It has some good info and links to resources that may be useful.

Marker Buoy Dive Club:
July: 2022-07 Buoy Tender.pdf

 

[OrcasC205]

You may want to check out pnwdiving.com, too. There are visibility reports from popular sites around the Northwest (so you have an idea whether it is worth diving or not since visibility is sometimes our limiting factor), and recommendations for which days are best to dive current sensitive sites. The creator and maintainer of this site is Eric Askilsrud, mentioned by @wetb4igetinthewater above.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Be careful assuming currents follow tides. In respectable parts of the world, the slowest (or no) current happens right at low tide or at high tide. The fastest is halfway between low and high or high and low.

However, with our narrow channels we can end up getting high current at odd times. Use a current guide for high-current sites. My experience with these is that you can be "close" to the actual prediction station and still get reasonable accurate timing for low current.

Also in my experience, it's most unpredictable up in the San Juans.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I've used Tidelog for the past 25 years......and actually just ordered my 2023 log today.

Puget Sound Tidelog - Tidelog

Including Seattle, Port Townsend, south to Tacoma and Olympia, and north to the San Juan Islands. Daily Tidelog Graphics are based on NOAA predictions for Seattle with times and heights for Seattle and Port Townsend. Time and strength of maximum … read more

www.tidelog.com

 

[rjack321]

I'm new to diving (recently completed open water, drysuit, and nitrox cert) and like to "do my homework" before most outdoor adventures. I'm looking for reliable sources for ocean currents, tides, and wave heights around the Puget sound. Magic Seaweed only has forecasts for two locations in the sound and Edmonds Underwater Park isn't one of them. Ocean currents have been even harder to find online. Does anyone have recommendations on which websites to use to check forecasts for diving conditions? P.S. what other factors do you consider when planning a dive? TIA

Wave heights are from the marine forecast, if you know the direction relative to direction the dive site faces you can sometimes make a go-no go decision at home. Sometimes you just have to show up and look. As a general rule 15+ knots into the dive site is starting to get dubious. 20+ knots is probably better to stay home or find a site facing the other direction

National Weather Service

marine.weather.gov

Current stations are here.

NOAA Current Predictions - Current Predictions

Tides & Currents- Current Predictions. CO-OPS provides the national infrastructure, science, and technical expertise to monitor, assess, and distribute tide, current, water level, and other coastal oceanographic products and services that support NOAA's mission of environmental stewardship and...

tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov

You need to find the closest relevant one, some sites have more than one that is good enough