Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Backdoor 4.

The start of this run is a bit of a mixed bag. We get a nice little window early on, but don't get too excited, because after that the trade winds and a massive pulse of swell will shut things down for most. Let's walk through it.

The first real shot is on Saturday the 12th, in the morning. It's clean with glassy conditions and a light breeze from the southeast. The swell is a tidy 4ft from the south at a long 12 seconds, giving the break some proper shape. The combined energy is solid at a moderate 702. It's a classic, fun-size morning session with nobody around, but remember, this spot can get busy. That morning is about as good as it gets for a while.

Things change fast. From Saturday afternoon all the way through Monday the 14th, it’s a write-off. Cross-onshore winds from the east-northeast and northeast pick up, making a mess of the 3ft to 5ft swell. It's not worth paddling out.

Now for the big event. On Wednesday the 16th, a serious southerly groundswell arrives. We're talking 12ft in the morning, pushing to 15ft by the afternoon. The wind is howling offshore from the south-southwest at 25 to 28 mph, which would normally be magic, but this is just too much. The combined energy is massive – 1930 in the morning and an enormous 3951 in the afternoon. That's big-wave territory and, as the forecast says, it will be hard to paddle into. For the experts only, and honestly, it might be more of a spectacle than a session.

The big swell lingers through Thursday the 17th, dropping from 12ft to 10ft, with clean offshore winds all day, but still only for the top-end crew. The energy remains very strong, around 1552 to 2408.

We have a quiet patch from the 20th to the 24th; small, choppy, or just poor conditions. Nothing worth a rush.

The standout, and the best of the bunch after the first morning, is actually Saturday the 19th in the morning. It's small, only 5ft, but from the east-southeast with a very long 11-second period, and it's glassy with zero wind. The energy is moderate at 696. The waves will be cleaner and more lined up than what you'd expect for the size, but those long-period south swells at a spot like this can sometimes run a bit straight. It's a glassy, clean option with a long period that will feel more powerful than it looks for a small day.

Standout: Saturday morning the 12th, for the clean combo of 4ft south swell and glassy wind. It's a quiet, playful session. Honorable mention: Saturday morning the 19th, for the glassy, long-period east-southeast swell.

Rusty.

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