Big Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer over the next couple of weeks.

First off, there’s a solid start right out of the gate. Big Beach (United States) is the only break in the mix, and it fires up from Wednesday, August 12. We’ve got a clean, long-period S swell rolling in, around 3 ft with a period of 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy, giving the waves shape and push, but those long gaps between sets are worth noting. The combined swell energy is sitting at 879 (moderate), so there’s enough grunt to get you moving. Wind is light and offshore from the NE in the morning, glassy conditions, and the water temp feels about average for the time of year – nothing weird there. Wednesday afternoon picks up a bit more breeze but stays offshore and clean.

Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th keep that same S swell direction, with heights between 3 ft and 4 ft, solid 15–16 second periods, and continued light to moderate offshore NE winds. Morning sessions are the standout – clean, groomed lineup. The break is very consistent, and crowds are sometimes an issue, so if you’re on it early, you’ll be in for a treat. This is the best on offer: Wednesday through Friday mornings, no question.

Saturday the 15th gets a bit tricky. The swell drops to 3 ft and the wind cranks up to 35–45 km/h from the NE. It’s still offshore, but that’s a fresh to strong breeze – making it hard to paddle into and pretty gnarly for a beginner. Afternoon gets proper strong. That’s a day to sit out, unless you’re a kiter – the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 16th we get a weird mix: a morning onshore crosswind with 3 ft S swell, poor conditions. But then Sunday afternoon, the wind swings cross-offshore and the swell jumps to 5 ft, though the period drops to just 7 seconds – short-period windswell, less shape, more bumpy. There’s some energy there (528), but it’s not the clean groundswell we had earlier.

From Monday the 17th through the end of the month, the swell stays small – mostly 1 ft to 3 ft – with S to SSW direction, periods bouncing between 12 and 16 seconds. The winds are generally light to moderate, often cross-offshore or offshore, so the conditions stay clean. But the combined swell energy drops way down, mostly under 500, often under 300 – that’s weak to very weak energy. The surf is surfable but very ordinary. There’s a bit of a bump around Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th, with 3 ft–3 ft SSW groundswell, periods around 15 seconds, and light winds. Those are the better days in the second week, but nothing compared to that opening run.

Bottom line: Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th are your standout days – aim for the mornings, clean 3 ft–4 ft S groundswell, light offshore breezes, consistent waves. It’s not too big for intermediates, and the long period means you’ll get proper waves, especially at a beach break like this – just watch for those lulls between sets. After that, the surf tapers off into small, everyday stuff. Not a total write-off, but the first few days are where it’s at.

Stay stoked, get out there early.
- Rusty

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