Broadway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. I’ve been staring at the charts for Broadway and, honestly, this is one of those 16-day windows where you might be better off cleaning the wax off your board than actually paddling out. The whole stretch is a flat, gutless affair with barely a pulse of energy. The water temp is sitting at 75°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you wait for nothing.

The first recommendation doesn’t pop up until Wednesday, August 19th, but don’t get excited. The swell is a pathetic 1 ft out of the SE with a period of just 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a measly 34 (weak energy). Wind is WNW at 9 mph, cross-off, so it’s clean, but there’s simply no power. It’s a poor surf situation – tiny and weak. This limp pattern drags on for days. Thursday the 20th is even worse, with swell dropping to 1.0 ft and energy down to 13. Friday the 21st is a joke: 1 ft from the SSE with a period of just 6 seconds – that’s short-period wind slop, and the energy is only 22. Saturday the 22nd sees a bit more height at 2 ft, but it’s from the ESE with a 4-second period, just weak, crumbly junk and energy of 41. The wind goes cross and then onshore, so it’s a mess.

Sunday the 23rd offers a brief moment of calm – glassy conditions with 1.0 ft to 1 ft swell, but it’s still too small to ride. The glassy wind is a tease. Monday the 24th brings a 0.7 ft swell from the ESE with a 12-second period, which is a long-period groundswell, but it’s so tiny it’s not even worth a paddle. The energy is 23. The offshore wind (N at 6 mph) would be nice if there was any wave to hold up.

There’s a gap of nothingness until Wednesday, September 2nd. That’s a solid 8-day stretch of flat, poor conditions. On September 2nd, we finally see a tiny flicker of hope: 2 ft from the ESE with an 11-second period, energy at 97 (still weak, but getting closer to moderate). The wind is NNW at 9 mph, cross-off, and it’s clean. The forecast says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s barely a 1 out of 10. This is the best the whole period has to offer, but it’s still a long way from good. The swell is too small for any real fun, and at this height, beginners could handle it, but there’s nothing to handle.

The last few days, September 3rd, drop back into poor surf with onshore winds up to 22 mph and energy falling to 52. Nothing to see here.

Broadway is a beach/jetty setup, so it needs a proper push. The optimum swell direction is SE, which we get a few times, but the size and period never line up. The crowds are “often” here, but with surf this bad, you’ll have the lineup to yourself. For a break that’s rated “fairly exposed” and “consistent,” this is a stunningly quiet run. The combined energy never breaks into the triple digits until the very end (142 on September 1st afternoon), but that’s paired with 2 ft and cross-shore winds – still not worth it.

There’s no standout. There’s no one or two true highlights. The closest thing to a window is the morning of September 2nd, but it’s a weak, ordinary offering. If you’re a kite surfer, the afternoon of August 31st has 2 ft and onshore wind at 22 mph, which might be more interesting for a kite than a paddle. But for a surfer? Leave the board at home, mate. The forecasts can change, but right now, this is a blank. I’m Rusty.

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