Brookings/South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for the Brookings area over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the next few days are a bit of a grind. There’s some swell, but it’s got a lot of cross-breeze on it, and the quality is just not there. We’re looking at a pretty long stretch of marginal conditions before we see anything that really gets the heart pumping.

Brookings/South Jetty is a beach/jetty setup that’s exposed to the SW. The water temp is sitting right around 56°, which is about average for this time of year. Nothing to write home about there.

The first few days, from Saturday the 25th through to around Thursday the 30th, we’ve got a consistent supply of SW swell between 3ft and 4ft, with a period hanging around 14-21 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which is good for shape, but the wind is a problem. We’re seeing a light to moderate cross or cross-onshore breeze pretty much the whole time, which keeps the surface a bit bumpy. The combined energy is moderate, ranging from 664 to 1316, so there’s some push. The best of this early period is probably Sunday afternoon, with 4ft SW swell and a 19-second period. The wind is just cross, so it’s not proper glass, but it’s the most ridable of the bunch. It’s a beginner-friendly size, but the wind will keep it from being a standout.

After that, things get weird. Friday the 31st throws a bit of a curveball with a 8ft NW swell arriving in the afternoon, but the period is a short 7 seconds. That’s choppy, messy, and not worth the paddle.

We hit a real lull from Saturday the 1st of August through to Tuesday the 4th, with almost no quality surf. The combined energy drops right off, and the swell is either tiny or too big and wind-whipped.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but it’s for the experienced crew only. Sunday the 2nd of August afternoon sees a big 12ft NW swell with an 8-second period coming in. The energy is strong (1432), and the wind is clean and cross-offshore. That’s a big red flag, though. At 12ft, this is expert-only territory and frankly, it’s predicted to be too big for the break. The same goes for Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th afternoons, with similar 12ft NW swells and clean cross-off winds. The power is there, but the size is going to close out the jetty and make it a washing machine for anyone not on a gun.

The best option for the whole period, and the only real standout, is Wednesday the 5th of August morning. We’ve got a 8ft NW swell, still chunky, but manageable for a strong intermediate or expert. The period is 8 seconds, which is not ideal, but the wind is a clean cross-offshore. The combined energy is moderate at 772. It’s going to be a bit of a beast, but it’s the cleanest the jetty will look for a proper wave.

The last few days of the outlook, from the 6th to the 9th, are a mixed bag of more big, bumpy NW swells or tiny SW leftovers. Saturday the 8th of August afternoon has another 12ft NW swell with moderate energy (1304), but it’s cross-shore, which will chop it up.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for quality. The best bet for a session is the Wednesday the 5th of August morning session, with a solid 8ft NW swell and clean wind. Be ready for a challenge, and don't be a beginner out there. The rest of the window is either too small, too windy, or too big for this spot.

Rusty.

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