Cardiff Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on Cardiff Reef for the next couple weeks.

First off, the water temp is a toasty 72°, which is about 3° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a real treat – you can get away with a spring suit.

Truth be told, the first week is a bit of a grind. This reef is very consistent and wants to fire, but the conditions just aren’t cooperating. From Wednesday the 9th through the weekend, we’re looking at small, bumpy surf. Swell is hanging around 1 ft to 4 ft out of the SW, but the wind is a mess – cross-onshore or onshore most of the time, messing up the surface. The wave energy is weak to moderate in that stretch (240 to 563 on the combined scale). Not really worth the paddle unless you’re just trying to get wet.

There’s a flash on Sunday the 13th morning with a 4 ft west swell, but the period is a pathetic 7 seconds. That’s just going to be weak, crumbling junk. Skip it.

Things finally start to come together in the second week. Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd, we’ve got some SW groundswell around 3 ft, with combined wave energy climbing into a moderate range (463 to 707). The wind goes light and offshore or cross-offshore from the WNW for a few sessions. That’s the clean-up crew we need. The period is a healthy 16 to 17 seconds, meaning long, powerful lines. A reef break loves that kind of energy, though the sets can be a little straight.

The real standout window is Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th. We’re looking at a 2 ft to 3 ft SW groundswell with a period of 18 to 19 seconds, and light offshore breezes from the west. The combined energy is solid, sitting between 548 and 567. It’s not huge, but it’s got real punch for this spot. The wind will have the faces glassy, and while crowds can be *sometimes* an issue here, a Friday or Saturday morning might not be too packed. The swell is coming from the SW, which is close to the preferred WNW direction, so it’ll wrap in nicely. That’s your best bet of the whole 16 days – don’t miss it.

After that, the energy fades into the last few days, with smaller swell and onshore wind returning. It’s a slow burn, but the 18th to the 21st is where you want to be.

Rusty.

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