Brookings/South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gonna break down the surf outlook for the Brookings/South Jetty stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’re not looking at a classic Pacific Northwest groundswell session. The first solid window kicks off on Saturday, September 5th, with a weak 3ft SSW swell. The 16-second period is nice and long, but the energy is weak (864) and those cross-shore NW winds at 9 mph will put a bit of a chop on it. The water is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so don't forget the extra rubber.

Sunday the 6th is pretty similar – still that 3ft SSW groundswell, but the wind switches to a light cross-on in the morning, making for a touch of ripple. The afternoon goes back to a gentle cross-shore. Not terrible, but not great.

Now, Monday the 7th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning cleans up beautifully with a light cross-offshore NW breeze and a 3ft SSW swell. The period drops to 14 seconds, but the energy is low (330). It’s clean, but small. The afternoon, however, blows up with a 7ft NW swell, but that's a short-period windswell (6 seconds) with a fresh 19 mph cross-off breeze. It’s clean, but that short-period stuff can be a bit of a washing machine at the beach/jetty.

Tuesday the 8th afternoon is the first real standout. The wind goes light cross-offshore, and we get a 7ft NW swell (7-second period). The combined energy is moderate (663), and the forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." The wind is clean, so the shape should be there. It’s a bit of a short-period swell, so it might be a little sectiony, but it’s the best of the first week.

The pattern turns a bit more interesting late in the second week. After a few days of tiny swell and mixed winds, we see a jump on Friday, September 18th afternoon. A 8ft NW swell (6 seconds) rolls in with a fresh cross-offshore breeze, but the energy is moderate (757). The real beast is on Saturday, September 19th afternoon. That’s when we get a 10ft NW swell with a 7-second period. The combined energy is strong (1286), and the wind is a clean cross-off. However, at 10ft, this is expert territory only. The jetty will be handling a lot of water, and it could be dangerous for anyone without serious experience. The forecast even notes it might be too big for the break.

So, for the best all-around session, I'm calling Tuesday, September 8th afternoon as the top pick. It’s the most manageable size with the best wind. For the big-wave chargers, Saturday, September 19th afternoon is the one to circle, but you’d better be on your game. Expect crowds at the jetty "sometimes" – it’s a popular spot, so take the usual courtesies.

Rusty.

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