Asakawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range outlook for Asakawa. This is a point break with a pretty inconsistent reputation, and this forecast is a real mixed bag, so temper those expectations.

The water temperature is sitting at 84°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than average for this time of year, keeping things pretty comfortable.

The first real shot at anything comes on Tuesday the 25th of August, and it's a big one but with a catch. We’ve got a massive pulse of energy hitting the coast, with a combined swell energy of a very strong 4834. The swell is a solid 10ft from the SSE, but it's coming in with a 14-second period. That's a long-period groundswell, which can be a bit tricky at a point break, tending to run straight and making paddling out a mission. To make things worse, the wind is a light cross-onshore from the south, so it's not going to be clean. It's a window for the experts only, but it's not going to be a classic Asakawa day. The afternoon drops to 8ft but the wind stays onshore, so it's a pass.

The next few days are pretty grim. Wednesday the 26th through to the end of the month see dropping swell and persistent onshore or cross-onshore winds, with storm risks and moderate energy readings (down to 68 by the 30th). The surf is small and sloppy, with very few clean windows. There's a brief moment on Friday the 28th morning when the wind goes glassy, but the swell is a weak 4ft with a short 8-second period, producing only 224 of combined energy. It's rideable, but ordinary.

The first week of September gets a bit more interesting but still messy. By the 1st of September, the swell tries to build again, hitting 6ft from the SE by the afternoon, but the wind is an onshore cross-breeze, and the period is a moderate 12 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (1006), but the conditions are poor. The same story continues through the 2nd and 3rd, with stronger winds and clean faces being a rare sight. The swell is there, but it's not surfable.

Now, let's talk about the standout. It's a long way out, so take this with a grain of salt, but the forecast is pointing to Sunday the 6th of September as the best on offer. We've got a cross-offshore wind from the NE at 6 mph, which will keep the faces clean. The swell is a modest 3ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, giving a moderate combined energy of 333. It's not big, but with that clean wind and a decent period, Asakawa could actually turn on. The morning session is the pick. The Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th also look promising with clean cross-offshore winds, though the swell is still small. The 8th afternoon sees a jump to 5ft, but the period drops to a short 6 seconds, so it will be a bit lumpy. Still, after the long flat spell, these are the best windows.

To sum it up: the first week is mostly a washout. The best chance for a surf comes way out around the 6th to the 8th of September, with clean winds and a small but workable swell. Keep an eye on it, because at a spot as inconsistent as Asakawa, you have to grab the good days when the forecast lines up.

Rusty.

Read more