Atlantic Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me level with you straight up about what’s happening with our local surf scene. Honestly, it’s quiet. Real quiet.

We’re looking at a long run of poor conditions at Atlantic Beach. The forecast shows some weak, short-period swell dribbling in from the SE, but the problem is the wind. For most of the next two weeks, onshore and cross-onshore breezes are going to chop up whatever tiny waves try to form. The combined swell energy is low, mostly below 100 (in the 20s to 90s), so there’s just no push.

The one bright spot is the water temp, which is sitting at 84°F with a 2°F anomaly, so it’s a touch warmer than average for this time of year. That’s nice for a paddle, but you won’t be surfing much.

There’s a gap here with no real recommendations. You’ll see small glassy windows on Saturday morning, August 29th, with a 2ft SE swell and offshore wind from the NNW making it look clean. That’s about the best it gets, and even then, the energy is weak (combined swell energy of 42). It’s a beginner-level wave at best, and inconsistent at that. After that, it’s a long, drawn-out stretch of “poor surf conditions” until we get to September 8th. On that Tuesday, we see a bit of a bump in energy from a long-period SE groundswell (12-second period) with combined swell energy hitting 172. Problem is, the wind is still cross-onshore from the SSE at 6 mph, which will mess up the face. It’ll be surfable but far from clean.

The later part of the forecast into the second week brings a consistent cross-offshore wind pattern (NE to ENE), but the swell is barely there—1ft to 1ft. The water will look pretty, but you’ll be bobbing around on a lake. No standouts here, just a hope that something changes.

So, if you’re jonesing for a surf, your best bet is Saturday morning, August 29th, for a tiny, clean window. Otherwise, wait it out. This run of poor surf is unusual for the area, but it won't last forever.

Rusty.

Read more