Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's have a look at what's cookin'.

The forecast period kicks off with a bit of a flat spell, nothing worthwhile for the first few days. The surf window really opens up on Thursday, the 17th of September, and there’s a run of clean, rideable waves right through to the end of the month, though we’ve got a couple of standout windows that’ll get the heart pumping.

Let's start on Thursday afternoon, the 17th of September. Chadbourne Gulch (California) is looking at a clean 4 ft swell coming out of the NW with a short period of 8 seconds. The real story here is the wind: glassy conditions. Absolutely pristine, no wind ripples, just a clean sheet of water. The combined wave energy is at 587, which is moderate. It’s not a big swell, but it’s a well-conditioned one for a beginner-friendly spot like this. The water temp is 58°F, which is about average for the time of year, so not a shocker.

Now, the real showstopper is Tuesday, the 22nd of September. Tuesday afternoon is the pick of the bunch. We've got a solid 8 ft NW swell, with a period of 11 seconds – a nice groundswell. Combined energy is a meaty 1550, showing strong wave energy. And best of all, glassy winds again. This is excellent, powerful surf for experienced surfers. Because it’s over 7 ft, it’s getting expert territory, but the conditions are prime. Keep in mind, with that long period, it’s a point break or reef sort of wave, and Chadbourne Gulch is a beach setup, so it might wall up a bit.

Wednesday the 23rd has a nice clean-up too – 5 ft NW groundswell with glassy afternoon winds (energy of 761). Then Thursday the 24th brings a smaller, super clean SSW groundswell of 3 ft, period 15 seconds, glassy all day – energy around 600. That’s a sneaky good session for a longboard. Also, because Chadbourne Gulch is a bit inconsistent, these little windows of clean glass are gold.

Come Sunday the 20th, we see a bit of a spike – 7 ft NW short-period swell on the morning (energy 1205), but it’s cross-onshore. You can ride it, but it’s not the same quality.

There’s a big lump forecast for the 29th and 30th – 10 ft NW swell on the 29th afternoon (energy 1618) and again on the 30th afternoon (energy 1662). That’s a lot of water, and the forecast even says it might be too big for this break. That’s expert-only territory, and with short periods, it’s gonna be a washing machine. For most of us, it’s a lookout day.

Overall, the biggest highs are that Thursday afternoon glass on the 17th, and the absolute standout: Tuesday afternoon, the 22nd. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The second week has a few clean windows but nothing as big or as clean as that 22nd. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so with good waves, expect company.

Rusty

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