Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Chadbourne Gulch. It’s a little spot for the beginners, fairly consistent, exposed to the swell, and it likes the swell from the WSW. The water’s running a bit cooler than normal for this time of year, sitting at 55°F.

We’re starting off a bit slow. The first couple of days, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th, we’ve got some small, long-period groundswell rolling in from the SSW, around 3ft to 3ft, with a period of 15 to 16 seconds. That long period means the waves will have some shape and the energy is there – we’re talking moderate energy in the 450 to 687 range – but the size is tiny. Tuesday morning looks like the pick of these early days with some glassy conditions, which is a big plus for clean surf. It’s not going to get the heart racing, but for a beginner, it’s a fun little window.

Now, things get a bit more interesting on Wednesday the 19th. The morning shows a bump up to 6ft of swell, but it’s a short-period 8-second windswell from the NW, and the wind is cross-onshore. The energy is strong (1146), but the quality is marginal. It’s a bit messy. The afternoon drops back down to 3ft. Not the best day.

Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are a bit of a letdown. We’re back to small, cleaner swell but with cross-onshore or onshore winds. The wave heights are under 3ft, and the energy is moderate but the surf quality is flagged as poor or marginal. Not much to write home about.

The weekend, however, might have a little surprise. Saturday the 22nd afternoon, the wind goes glassy and we see a 5ft NW swell, but it’s a short-period 7-second windswell. The energy is moderate (382). The glassy conditions are a major positive for clean faces, but the short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly. Sunday the 23rd holds onto 5ft NW swell with a slightly better 9-second period, and light offshore winds. That’s a solid window for the beginner crew, with clean, rideable waves, though the energy is still moderate. Let’s call this the best on offer for the whole period.

After that, we hit a long dry spell. From Monday the 24th all the way through to the end of the month, the swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft, mostly from the SSW, with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The energy stays moderate, but the surf quality is consistently poor to marginal. There’s a brief spike on Thursday the 27th afternoon with a 8ft NW swell, but it’s a short-period 8-second windswell with cross-onshore wind. That’s big enough to be a handful for the beginners, but the short period and cross-wind will make it a chop fest. Not a standout.

The first few days of September look similar – small, weak, and marginal. A long stretch of waiting.

So, the nod goes to Sunday the 23rd of August at Chadbourne Gulch. It’s your best bet: 5ft of NW swell, a 9-second period, and light offshore winds. It’s clean, rideable, and just about the only time the stars align in this 16-day window. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Rusty.

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