Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your coffee and wax your board, let's dig into what's coming up. The window ahead has a solid run of waves, but you'll need to pick your moments. We're looking at a quality stretch beginning Wednesday, August 26th, so let's get into it.

The main event is a consistent, long-period SW groundswell that will be working through the whole period. The combined energy of all swells directed here starts moderate at 431 mid-week, but builds nicely. The standout window is clearly Friday, August 28th, through to the weekend. We'll have a mix of clean conditions and some cross-off breezes, but the real gem is a few days further out.

Cactus is the only break on the menu, a classic reef setup. Water temps are sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Let's break it down. Wednesday, August 26th, the surf is a bit marginal. The morning has a 3.6 ft SW swell at 13 seconds, but it's a cross-off NNE breeze. The afternoon cleans up nicely with a 3.0 ft swell and 3 mph offshore NE wind – that's clean, glassy potential but the size is small. Thursday, August 27th, the swell period jumps: a 3.6 ft, 14-second groundswell in the morning with a 19 mph cross-off N wind, so it's a bit lumpy. The afternoon is where it gets interesting: a 3.0 ft swell with a massive 19-second period. The combined energy hits 1157 – that's a lot of long-period energy in the water. This is a true groundswell, and it'll be best at this reef, but it might be a bit too straight for the beach.

Friday, August 28th, is the first real standout. The morning brings 4.9 ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, with a 9 mph cross-off NNE wind. The combined energy is a solid 1144. It's rated as excellent for experienced surfers – that's a solid 4.9 ft wave on a reef. The afternoon flips to a glassy 4.6 ft with a 0 mph SE wind. This is pure, clean, glassy perfection. The best on offer early on is this Friday afternoon session.

Saturday, August 29th, the swell drops to 3.0 ft, but the morning has a clean 9 mph offshore ENE breeze. The afternoon is a smaller 2.6 ft with a cross-off wind. The weekend is smaller but clean. Sunday, August 30th, is similar: a 2.0 ft morning with a 12 mph offshore ENE wind, but a 3.6 ft afternoon with a 19-second period. The energy is 887 in the afternoon, so there's still some punch.

Now, look ahead to the following week. Monday, August 31st, picks up again: 5.2 ft in the morning, 4.9 ft in the afternoon, both with 17-second periods and cross-off winds. The energy is strong at 1437 and 1252. This is a solid swell, but the wind is a bit higher. Tuesday, September 1st, is a write-off. A 25 mph cross-shore NNW wind in the morning and a 22 mph onshore WSW in the afternoon create poor conditions. Wednesday, September 2nd, is onshore and messy. Thursday, September 3rd, sees a clean morning: 4.3 ft, 15-second swell, with a 6 mph cross-off N wind. The energy is 753 – a good moderate wave.

The real highlight of the whole forecast is the morning of Friday, September 4th. A 5.2 ft SW swell at 15 seconds, with a 9 mph offshore ENE wind. The combined energy is 1200 and it's rated excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best session on offer. Clean, offshore, solid size – get on it. The following morning, Saturday, September 5th, has a similar 5.2 ft swell but with a light cross-shore breeze, so it's still surfable but not as clean. After that, Sunday, September 6th, through Tuesday, September 8th, it gets messy with onshore winds.

But then you get a second standout: the morning of Wednesday, September 9th. A 5.2 ft, 17-second SW groundswell with a 3 mph glassy NE wind. The combined energy is a thumping 1630. This is a big, clean, powerful groundswell for the reef. It's excellent for experienced surfers – the size and period will be demanding. The period is 17 seconds, which is very long, so it'll be a true groundswell with plenty of energy. The week finishes with a final clean morning on Thursday, September 10th: 4.9 ft, 16-second swell, with a 3 mph offshore ENE wind. Energy is 1298, and it's another excellent session.

To sum it up: the best windows are Friday afternoon, August 28th (glassy), Friday morning, September 4th (clean offshore), and Wednesday morning, September 9th (glassy, powerful groundswell). The 9th is a true standout, but it's a long way off, so keep an eye on it. Crowds are likely at Cactus, as it's a consistent reef, so get in early for those standouts.

Stay stoked, and I'll see you out there.

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