Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up, this is a lean run for Backdoor 4. For the first several days, we’ve got waves, but they’re pretty average, and the conditions just aren’t cooperating. There is no real standout in the first week, but there are a couple of days that could be worth a paddle if you’re keen.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Monday, the 17th of August. It’s not big, with waves around 4ft to 4ft coming from the ESE, but the wind is light and cross-offshore. The water is sitting at 63°, which is about normal for this time of year. The energy is moderate (248, 209), so there’s some push. It’s just average, but you could snag a few clean ones.

Tuesday the 18th is a write-off with stronger cross-shore wind chopping things up. Wednesday the 19th morning is a tease – glassy conditions with a long period groundswell (10 seconds) but only 2ft of wave. That long period means longer waits between sets, but the shape could be okay if you’re patient. The energy is moderate (163).

Then we hit a flat spell from Thursday the 20th all the way through to Sunday the 23rd of August. Wave heights drop to under 3ft and the energy is weak (19 to 111). Not much point suiting up.

We get a little pulse on Monday the 24th of August afternoon, with a 2ft South swell and clean cross-off wind, but the energy is only moderate (177). Still not really worth the hype.

Tuesday the 25th of August sees a jump in size with a 5ft South swell, but the wind is cranking at 18 mph. It's cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but that’s a lot of breeze. The energy is strong (353), but it’s more of a windy battle than great surf. Wednesday the 26th of August morning has a big jump in energy (499) with a 4ft South swell and a long 11-second period, but the cross-offshore wind is still fresh at 18 mph. That afternoon, a 6ft swell from the ENE appears, but the period is short (6 seconds), so it’s going to be lumpy and weak despite the moderate offshore wind.

Now, Thursday the 27th of August is the first real standout. The morning is clean with a gentle cross-off breeze, a 5ft NE swell, and the energy is pumping (565). That’s strong wave energy. The swell direction is coming from the NE, which isn’t the absolute optimum E, but it’s close enough and the conditions are clean. This is the best of the first two weeks. The afternoon is also good for a session with a 4ft ENE swell and light cross-off wind. This is a solid day.

After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August are mostly poor, with onshore winds and small, weak swell.

But wait – the last real standout is Sunday the 30th of August. The morning is looking prime. A clean, light offshore wind from the SSE, and a 7ft South swell rolling in with a 10-second period. The energy is very strong (817). That is a proper swell. The wind is light offshore, so the waves should be clean and lined up. That’s a big day, but at 7ft it’s getting solid, so it’s better for intermediate to experienced surfers. The afternoon gets a bit messy with cross-shore wind and the swell dropping to 5ft.

The last couple of days into September are back to small and weak.

So, to wrap it up: the best of the bunch is without a doubt Thursday the 27th of August morning. It’s got size, clean wind, and strong energy. The second real standout, and the biggest swell of the period, is Sunday the 30th of August morning. That’s a powerful South swell with light offshore wind – one for the crew who can handle it.

Keep an eye on the sky, because these longer-range ones can change.

Rusty.

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