Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of swell lining up, but it’s going to be a game of patience and picking the right windows. The water is sitting at 67°F, which is a couple of degrees warmer than usual for this time of year, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.

The forecast really kicks off on Thursday, August 20th, but it’s not the best start. We’ve got a solid 13 ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 16-second period, carrying a massive amount of energy (7073). The problem is a strong cross-onshore wind from the WSW is making it fairly choppy. It’s surfable, but not the cleanest. The afternoon improves a touch as the wind goes more cross-shore, but it’s still a bit bumpy.

Now, Friday, August 21st is the standout. This is the one you want to clear your schedule for. The swell drops a little to 12 ft from the SW, still with a lovely 15-second period, and the combined energy is pumping (5267). The magic is in the wind: Friday morning is glassy. Absolutely glassy. Light offshore trickling from the West. This is exceptional, clean surf for experienced surfers. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. Conto Springs is exposed to the SW, so this is a dream setup — long-period groundswell, no wind to mess it up. This is the best session on offer, hands down.

Saturday, August 22nd sees the swell easing slightly to 10 ft, but the wind stays manageable. The morning is a bit cross-shore, but the afternoon cleans up again with a nice cross-offshore flow. A solid option if you missed Friday.

Sunday, August 23rd is still holding 8 ft of swell, but the wind picks up from the S, blowing cross-offshore. It’s clean, but that breeze is getting a bit stiffer. Still a decent wave if you’re out there.

Then we hit a patch of onshore wind. Monday, August 24th and Tuesday, August 25th are blown out by NW winds. The swell is there, but the conditions are poor. A flat spell for quality waves.

Wednesday, August 26th gets ugly. The swell jumps to 16 ft from the WSW with a very long 17-second period, and the energy is huge (13689). But the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. This is big, raw, and unrideable for most. If you’re a kiter, this might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a skip.

Things clean up again on Thursday, August 27th. The swell drops to 15 ft from the SW, and the wind swings to a strong cross-offshore from the SSW. It’s clean, but that’s a lot of water moving. Only for the experienced crew on the bigger boards.

After that, the forecast gets messy again. A run of onshore and cross-onshore winds from August 28th right through September 1st means the quality drops off. There are waves, but the wind is ruining them. The swell is still big, sometimes over 13 ft, but the wind is ripping.

The last glimmer of something worthwhile pops up on Friday, September 4th. The swell is 13 ft from the SW, and the wind eases off, becoming a gentle cross-onshore. It’s not perfect, but after a long rough patch, it’s the best-looking option in the second week. Keep an eye on that one, but it’s a long way out and less certain.

So, the play is clear: Friday, August 21st is the real deal. Get on it. Saturday morning is also good. The rest is a mixture of big, messy, or blown out.

Rusty.

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