Northers: Where to Go when the North Winds Blow

In October, I gave a seminar on Mexico Cruising Itineraries. Someone asked, “Since we’re heading to Mexico in January, is there any reason not scoot up to the northern end of the Sea of Cortez first, then slowly cruise our way south starting from there?” “Sorry. First, it will still be winter there, meaning cold air and sea temperatures. Second, it’s just the start of the season of northers.” WHAT’S ARE NORTHERS? Winter and early spring weather affects boating in the north end of the Sea of Cortez, sometimes with worse conditions than it brings to Southern California and the Pacific side of the Baja down to Magdalena Bay. A unique weather pattern called a Plateau High can develop over the mountain plateaus of mid and southern Nevada, and that area of high pressure forces the surface winds to flow outward from the center. For boaters in northwest Mexico, winds that originated in the Nevada Plateau are felt as cold and dry, blowing from the north toward the south and southwest. Of course, most of the time you’ll find good cruising and fishing weather. Not every breath of wind from the north came from Nevada. Sometimes it’s just a short-duration blast of north wind...