I never witnessed this before the other day

[Bad Obsession]

I was out on a cruise. I ended up knocking it down to a three day cruise for various reasons.

I was sailing back down the Potomac River from Smith Creek to Cobb Island, MD. It was 15 knots of wind, steady, with some gusts up to 20 knots. The wind was out of the North East so I didn't have crazy sized waves but I was closer to the Virginia side so they were close to 2 feet.

All of the sudden I was hit by a downpour. This was not any normal downpour either, this was some serious rain. It rained so hard it knocked the waves down to under a foot in 10 minutes. I have never witnessed this before but I have heard of the rain knocking the waves down like this. It was still blowing 15 knots too.

Has anyone else witnessed this before?

 

[Ron20324]

Yup. I thought it was common knowledge that rain flattens the seas. Maybe there's a law or something in Virginia?

 

[JamesG161]

You might have been hit by one of these, which has considerable "flattening" force.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst

I have witnessed the aftermath of these weather downpours.
Jim...

 

[Benny17441]

It seems to happen rather frequently down here. Don't know if the wall of water knocks the speed out of the winds or if the pressure of many gallons in freefall just flattens the crest of the waves. It seems short lived fast moving storms only stir a thin top layer of the water that settles rather quickly. It can seem freaky.

 

[dlochner]

I've seen this during thunderstorms. Still a lot of wind, but the rain flattens the seas. Not dead flat, just the wind driven chop, the swells are still there. Makes for a very eerie experience, what with the thunder, lightening, and diminished sunlight.

 

[capta]

If we get a squall with heavy rain, the one plus is that it flattens the seas. Ain't nature great?

 

[Sailm8]

What Benny said. Here in Florida you can almost drown at the helm in a Florida downpour. Before I got a dodger I would wear a mask and snorkel in order to breath and see in a storm.

 

[Apex]

i witnessed for the first time too, just a few weeks ago....interesting. Then 45kts hit us.... :O

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Was in Mississippi Sound spring 2010. Had waves that were lifting lower unit out of water (outboard in a well) Short period, maybe 4 feet. Trying to decide if I needed to divert to Pass Christian, rather than plow on to Gulfport.

Massive thunder storm swept over, I pulled out of channel and anchored because it was raining so hard I couldn't see my bow.

After the storm the waves were MAYBE 6 inches

 

[Brian S]

I have been out kayaking with small windlets on the water. (You can't call wind ripples "waves" ) Anyway, a light rain started, and the water just went dead flat. I've been out kayak surfing on standing waves over shoals in the inlet. Then some PWC-ers took notice of the kayaks having a fun time surfing down the waves. Soon they were all up in our s**t trying to "surf" up the waves. They pounded the waves flat in no time, forcing us to find a different shoal to play on. Mind you, we were p****d off that A) they were hurtling several hundred pounds of horsepower at us, B) they pounded our nice ocean waves flat, and C) we were there first. A******s. (Sorry, you can see how angry that episode made me, even years later. )

 

[Bad Obsession]

I understand with why it happens. It is a massive downpour with fresh water meeting salt water. Either way, it was pretty cool to watch that but it sucked because I didn't have my foul weather pants or boots on, just my foul weather jacket. I was soaked to the BONE despite the bimini and dodger.

I knew about it, just have never been at sea in that kind of downpour.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Bad Obsession;
What about severe wind downburst with rain and lightening (destroyed two trees close by). Hope you are doing well. Have you seen Joan lately. Wonder if she is doing ok. let me know my little brother. Now you have to put up with me as big brother like jim use to.

 

[Brian D]

Is not a wave nothing more that sound traveling through a medium, in this case water? That is why we call the period between wave its frequency. Hence, wouldn't the pelting of rain cause much higher frequency tiny wavelets that would eventually cause an interference to the lower frequency wave, thereby appearing to cancel out the lower frequency wave. The end result would be a flatten sea.

LOL

Don't beat me up, just trying to be philosophical.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Dave, Joan lives about 7 houses from my in-laws. I haven't seen her lately but I need to catch up with her. I was in Cobb Island the other day and I saw Java. I miss having Jim around.

 

[Davidasailor26]

higher frequency tiny wavelets that would eventually cause an interference to the lower frequency wave

Sorry, I don't think that's the explanation - waves of different frequencies don't significantly interfere to cancel each other.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Bad Obsession;
Thank you for letting me know. It is difficult for all of us who knew Jim that he is gone but knowing JAVA sails on is good to hear. Take care my friend. Any birds hit your windshield Lately? Ha.

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE="Davidasailor26,...Sorry, I don't think that's the explanation - waves of different frequencies don't significantly interfere to cancel each other.[/QUOTE]

I think he's confused with electrical "carrier" signals?

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

I was sailing with a friend from Key West to Punta Gorda many years ago and we got the hardest rain for hours I have ever been in. It was raining so hard we could barely see the bow of his 33 foot boat. It made the seas flat calm, yet there was a good bit of wind. I haven't experienced it since.

 

[heritage]

I've seen that wave quieting phenomenon also. Must be related to the effect that oil has on the surface of the water.

 

[LakeMurraySailor]

Brian D, seems like your "philosophy" is on target! No need to worry, if anyone wants to beat you up, I'll help defend you!