Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, lookin’ at what’s cookin’ for us over the next couple of weeks at one spot that’s got some serious potential if you time it right. It’s gonna be a bit of a slow start, but hold tight, there’s some fire on the horizon.

So, right off the bat, Wednesday the 26th ain’t gonna get you out of bed. We’ve got some weak, short-period swell from the ENE at 3ft, but the wind’s howling from the south at 15 mph. It’s surfable, but it’s ordinary—you’d be paddling out for the exercise more than the stoke. The water temp is sittin’ around 64°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

The good stuff starts to trickle in Thursday the 27th. Thursday morning sees a solid jump to 6ft from the south with a gentle offshore breeze. The energy is gettin’ real (664), and conditions are looking very good. That’s your first real window. It holds through the afternoon as the swell drops just a touch to 6ft, but the wind swings cross-offshore, keeping things clean.

Now, Friday the 28th morning is where you wanna be if you can swing it. We’re talkin’ 5ft of SSE groundswell with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is dead calm—glass. The wave energy is pumpin’ at 726. That’s about as perfect as it gets for a reef break. The afternoon is still fun, but the wind picks up a bit.

Saturday the 29th is another beauty. Morning session has 7ft from the SSE, a solid offshore wind, and energy sittin’ at 767. That’s a serious amount of power, but still manageable for a confident intermediate. Just know that with that size, beginners might be biting off more than they can chew. The afternoon drops back to 4ft with clean conditions.

Sunday the 30th starts with a glassy 3ft from the south—a nice mellow session to wind down the weekend. The energy is still there (278), but it’s a more relaxed vibe. Monday the 31st has a funky 2ft south swell with a very long 16-second period. That long period means the waves will have some punch for their size, but at a reef, they’ll shape up nicely. Glassy conditions in the morning make it worth a look.

Then we hit a flat patch. From Monday afternoon right through until the morning of Sunday the 7th of September, it’s pretty grim. Winds go onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell drops to ankle-snappers. There’s a couple of days with energy in the 300s, but the wind just kills it. You’ll be better off waxing your board and waiting.

But hold onto your leash, because the stand-out is coming. Monday the 7th of September morning is a beast—8ft from the south with a clean offshore wind. The energy reading is 1700. That’s a heavy day. This is for experts only; that size at a reef like Backdoor 4 will be charging. The afternoon drops to 6ft, still massive, and still clean. This is the best of the whole run if you’ve got the skill to handle it.

After that, it fades. Tuesday the 8th is still rideable at 6ft in the morning, but the wind goes onshore, making it messy. From there, it’s a slow decline into smaller, wind-affected surf for the rest of the run. There’s a brief flash of 6ft on Thursday the 10th, but the onshore wind ruins it.

So, to boil it down: your best bet is the morning of Friday the 28th of August for clean, glassy perfection, and the morning of Monday the 7th of September for the big, expert-level juice. Don’t sleep on Thursday the 27th morning either.

Rusty, out.

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