Backdoor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s happening at Backdoor. It’s a reef break, exposed to swell, and the optimum direction is from the NW. The water temp is sitting at 79°, about average for this time of year, no surprises there.

Right now and for the next several days, it’s a tough stretch. Most of the period is filled with poor surf conditions and no standout waves, so we’re looking at a long gap of nothing really rideable. The first few days, from Sunday the 12th through Monday the 13th, we’ve got tiny 2 ft swell coming from the SW with a long 15-16 second period, but it’s crossed up with fresh 19 mph cross-off winds from the ENE. The combined wave energy is weak to moderate (154), but the size is just too small and bumpy to be worth paddling out. It’s pretty much a wash.

Then Tuesday the 14th sees a bit of a jump in size to 5 ft, and the wind eases to 12-16 mph from the ENE, still cross-off. The swell is from the NE, but period drops to 8 seconds—short period windswell. Energy jumps to 560 (moderate), but the quality is marginal, with rain showers likely if you’re out in the lineup. Water temp is about normal for the season. It’s a step up, but still not great.

Wednesday the 15th drops back to 2 ft from the west with a 15-second groundswell, so longer gaps between sets. Winds stay cross-off around 12 mph, and the energy sits at 224. Again, poor to marginal at best.

The rest of the week and into the following week is very quiet. Thursday 16th through to Monday the 21st has tiny swell, often less than 2 ft, and some days show zero waves at all (0 combined energy). Winds stay from the east-northeast or east at 12-19 mph, cross-off, so not a single window of clean, surfable conditions. From Sunday the 19th, the swell is practically non-existent.

We see a little kick on Friday the 24th of July, with 4-4 ft from the NE, period around 6-7 seconds, energy up to 227. But it’s still cross-off breeze from the ENE at 16 mph, and the forecast calls it poor surf. Not a stand-out.

Finally, on Monday the 27th of July, in the afternoon, there’s a 6 ft NE windswell with 8-second period and a combined energy of 523. Cross-off winds from the ENE at 12 mph. That’s close to a notable event, but the wind stays cross-off, so the faces will be bumpy. For an intermediate crew at Backdoor, that could be too messy for the size, especially with the rip likely.

Honestly, there’s no single great day in this outlook. Tuesday the 14th is the biggest in the near term, and Monday the 27th is the biggest late in the run, but both are let down by the wind direction and short, weakish periods. For a place like Backdoor, you really want a clean offshore, not this cross-off chop that’s on offer.

No stand-outs here. Sorry, folks. Sometimes the ocean just gives you a blank stare for two weeks. Fingers crossed the models change.

Rusty

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