D Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's not sugarcoat it: the next couple of weeks look pretty bleak. We're looking at a long stretch of small, weak surf with marginal conditions. Don't get your hopes up just yet.

From Monday the 17th through at least Friday the 28th, we're in a real flat spell. The swell is tiny, only about 2ft to 3ft, and it's coming from the south-southwest. The energy behind it is weak to moderate at best, with readings in the 180 to 480 range. It's just not doing anything for us. Winds are mostly light and onshore, which won't do us any favors. There are a few days where it's a bit more offshore, but there are no waves to speak of. This is a solid stretch of days with nothing to recommend – I'm talking a good week and a half of poor options. The water is a warm 72°, which is about 4° warmer than usual for this time of year. That's different, but it doesn't make up for the lack of surf.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday the 29th of August. We finally see a push of energy with a combined swell energy reading of 761. That's getting into the moderate range and it's a significant step up from the anemic numbers we've seen. The swell bumps to 3ft from the SSW, with a period of 17 seconds. That long-period groundswell is promising for shape, but it's still a small wave. The catch? The wind is still cross-onshore, so it will probably be a little bumpy. Still, it’s our best bet, but I’d call it marginal, not a standout. The conditions might be acceptable, but don't expect perfection.

The surf holds in this same 3ft to 4ft range through the end of August and into the first day of September. The energy stays moderate, with readings consistently in the 560 to 708 range. It's better than the flat spell, but the wind remains a persistent cross-onshore breeze, which will keep things textured. This period offers the most promise, especially Sunday the 30th, but it’s all relative. The long period means it might handle the cross-shore wind a bit better, but it's still not what we'd call clean. For a spot like D Street, which is a sandbar, that long-period swell can also make it break a little straight, so it's not ideal. The waves are still small enough for beginners, but the jumbled conditions will make it more of a challenge.

So, here’s the long and short of it: We have a long gap of poor, flat conditions before a slightly better, but still not great, pulse arrives at the very end of the forecast window. This last pulse, from the 29th of August onwards, is our only real chance to get wet, but it's still far from a classic. It's promising, but I wouldn't book a surf trip around it. Forecasts this far out can change, so keep an eye on things. But for now, keep the wax in the wrapper and the board in the car.

Signing off,

Rusty

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