Alnes Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for our local stretch.

Honestly, this is a tough run. The next ten days or so are mostly a write-off. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with a heap of days where the wind and swell just aren’t playing ball. The combined energy is weak for most of the period, sitting in the low double digits or triple digits only when the swell is messy and onshore. There’s a big gap in any real quality. The only glimmer of hope is a late-developing long-period swell near the end of the forecast window, but even that comes with a catch.

The first real standout, and really the only one worth marking on the calendar, is the Saturday morning of the 5th of September at Alnes Lighthouse. This is a point break, fairly exposed to the swell, and it’s got the best combo we’ll see. We’re looking at a 4 ft swell from the west, with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a nice, solid groundswell with good energy. The combined energy is a solid 367 (moderate), so there’s some push. The wind is light and clean from the east-northeast, giving us clean, cross-offshore conditions. The water temp is about 56°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, just a touch below average. Just keep in mind the crowds can be on it sometimes. This is a good one for intermediate surfers, with nice, shaped waves rolling in. The long period means longer gaps between sets, but the quality will be there on the point.

Before that, we have a few mornings that are just “surfable but very ordinary” – like the Tuesday morning of the 1st of September, with 2 ft and glassy wind, but the energy is weak (99) and the quality just isn’t there. The rest is a mix of onshore winds, cross-chop, and messy conditions. The swell does get bigger around the 4th of September, with a 5 ft west swell and a very long period of 14 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the west-southwest, making it lumpy. The combined energy is huge at 904 (strong), but the wind ruins it. That one is for experts only, and even then, it’s rough.

After the 5th, it fades again. The Monday morning of the 7th of September has a tiny 2 ft west swell in clean conditions, but it’s barely a ripple. The following week looks like more of the same – small, onshore, and not worth getting excited about. The 10th of September morning has a 6 ft northwest swell, but the wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy. The 11th of September morning has a 8 ft west-southwest swell, but it’s onshore and messy, with a period of just 7 seconds – that’s short-period junk. Only for the brave or the experts.

So, to sum it up: the next week and a half is a bust. The only real daylight is the morning of the 5th of September. Set your alarm for that one. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Rusty.

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