Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Backdoor 4 over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a classic tale of two halves playing out here. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, but then things get real interesting. The water temp is sitting at about 66°F which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild there.

The opening day, Monday the 7th, is a no-go with a messy cross-shore wind and weak, choppy 5ft SSE swell. Just leave it. Tuesday the 8th is where the story starts. The morning session is a beast, with a solid 8ft S swell pumping in under clean offshore wind. The combined energy is massive at 1120 (moderate to strong), but here’s the catch: that 8ft is pushing it for most average surfers. This is expert territory. The afternoon drops to 7ft, still clean, still powerful. This is a true standout window for the crew who can handle it.

Wednesday the 9th is a mixed bag. The morning drop to a smaller 4ft S swell with gentle offshore wind is clean, but the energy is weak (224). The afternoon, however, goes nuclear. A 10ft S swell with a 28 mph offshore wind. The combined energy hits 1066 (strong), but that wind is going to make it incredibly hard to get out. It’s a battle. Thursday the 10th continues the pulse of 10ft S swell, but the morning is cross-offshore, while the afternoon is pure offshore glass. The energy on Thursday afternoon is a staggering 2594 (very strong). This is big, powerful, and for experts only.

Friday the 11th is still big, with 8ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, both clean. Good energy. Then Saturday the 12th morning is a hidden gem. The swell drops to 5ft SSE, but the wind is dead calm, glassy. The combined energy is 572 (moderate). For a reef break like Backdoor 4, that glassy surface with a 10-second period groundswell is a recipe for perfection. The best session for the average intermediate surfer in the entire outlook. The afternoon goes to crap though, so hit that dawn patrol.

After that, the surf fades. Sunday the 13th through Tuesday the 15th of September is a gap of poor, blown-out, or tiny surf. Nothing to ride. We get a brief flicker on Wednesday the 16th morning with a 5ft SSE swell, but it’s a marginal, cross-onshore mess. Another small window on Thursday the 17th morning, but it’s only 5ft and the energy is weak (310).

Then, hold onto your boards. Thursday the 17th afternoon through Saturday the 19th sees a return of colossal swell. Thursday afternoon is a 15ft S swell, Friday the 18th morning is 13ft, and Friday afternoon is 12ft. The combined energy is off the charts, hitting 5080, 5821, and 3422 respectively. This is big ocean, serious power, and absolutely not for anyone but the hardcore, big-wave chargers. The winds are clean, but it’s a washing machine. By Saturday the 19th afternoon, the swell backs down to a very surfable 6ft SSE with clean offshore wind – a solid end to the action.

The final few days, the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, are a slow fade back to tiny, choppy, and cross-onshore junk. That’s the story.

So, the standouts? Tuesday the 8th morning for the experts who want thick, powerful walls. And for the rest of us, Saturday the 12th morning is the absolute pick: glassy, clean, and a proper 5ft groundswell. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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