Carmel Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Carmel Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week and a half is a real struggle. We’ve got a long stretch of marginal to poor conditions that just won’t shake loose. From Thursday the 6th of August all the way through to the middle of the month, the swell is tiny, mostly around 1ft to 2ft from the SSW. That’s backed up by a weak wave energy reading (between 195 and 351), and the wind is mostly cross-on, which just messes up any chance of a clean face. The water temp is sitting at 59° with a pretty normal anomaly of -0.5°, so nothing unusual there – just a typical chilly Monterey morning.

We do see a bit of a pulse on Sunday the 9th of August, with the swell lifting to 5ft to 6ft from the NW and the energy jumping to 717. But the period is a short 10 seconds, and the wind is cross-on, so it’s gonna be chopped up and messy. This pattern sticks around through the middle of the week, with the swell peaking at 6ft on Monday the 10th and Wednesday the 12th. The energy is solid, hitting 769 and 856, but that wind never cleans up – it’s just too lumpy for a good paddle. If you’re a kite surfer, this might look more interesting than a surf session.

Now, for the only real standout in the whole 16-day window. We’ve got to look all the way to Wednesday the 19th of August. On that morning, things finally align. The swell drops back to 2ft from the WNW, but the period is a respectable 12 seconds, and the combined energy is 382 – nothing huge, but that’s not the point. The big news is the wind: it’s glassy. I mean, dead flat, no ripples, just a mirror. That’s rare, and it’s going to make those little waves clean as a whistle. The swell is coming from the WNW, which is a solid match for the optimum W direction for Carmel Beach. It’s a beginner-friendly size, so don’t expect bombs, but for a longboard, a foamie, or a funboard, it’ll be a total joy. Just keep in mind that crowds are possible here, so bring your patience.

After that, the forecast gets a bit iffy again. The swell drops back to 2ft to 2ft for the rest of the week, with the wind switching back to cross-on. It’s small and choppy, nothing to get excited about.

So, the bottom line: for the next week and a half, you’re better off waxing your board at home. The best wave on offer is that glassy Wednesday morning the 19th of August. It’s not a big swell, but it’s the only window where the stars align for a real clean session. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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