Dairy Beach (New Pier) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what's coming down the pipe at Dairy Beach (New Pier). Let's get straight into it.

We've got a mixed bag over the next couple weeks with a lot of onshore wind messing things up, but there are a few definite windows to keep your eye on. The water temp is sitting at about 70°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild to report there.

The first real chance to get wet looks like Wednesday, August 26th. Wednesday morning is looking the pick of the early period. We've got a solid 4 ft of long-period S swell (18 seconds) rolling in, with a light S breeze holding it cross-offshore. The waves will have proper energy behind them (762), and it should be clean as a whistle. It's a beach/pier setup, so that long period might make it a bit straight, but with the wind that light, it’ll be worth the paddle out. Wednesday afternoon the swell jumps to 7 ft and the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit messier, but still rideable for the keen ones.

Now, after Wednesday, we hit a serious dry spell. From Thursday, August 27th, right through to the end of the month and into the first days of September, it's pretty grim. We get a dominating NE wind that just won't quit, constantly blowing onshore, ruining the shape of the swell. There are a few pulses of swell in there, but the wind kills it. We even see the odd shower and rain, but the wind is the main villain here. It’s not until Tuesday, September 3rd, that we finally get a breath of fresh air.

The standout window in the whole forecast, and the one to circle on your calendar, is Tuesday, September 3rd. The morning has a nice 4 ft of S groundswell (13 seconds) with a light SSW offshore breeze. The energy is moderate (609), and the forecast says "expect good surf conditions." For a spot that's been hammered by onshores, this is a golden ticket. That offshore wind will have those lines looking glassy and clean. Then Tuesday afternoon the wind drops to almost nothing – glassy with a gentle 3 ft swell. It’s smaller, but if you’ve got a log, it’ll be a fun, smooth session with no bump on the water.

Then get ready for a big one. Around Wednesday and Thursday, September 4th and 5th, a huge swell is forecast to hit. We're talking 16 ft to 20 ft of solid S/SE swell, with a massive amount of energy in the water (up to 7783). But here’s the thing – the data is pretty clear that this break will be too big for safe or fun paddling. The wind is cross-off, which is a tease, but the size is just insane. Unless you're a tow-in expert on the biggest day of your life, stay clear. This setup will be pumping for kites, not paddle boards.

After that big event, the wind swings back onshore from the NE again for the second week, making things ugly once more. There are pulses of long-period S swell, but you won't want to be out there in that wind chop.

So to wrap it up: Your best bets are Wednesday morning, August 26th, for some clean, long-period grunt, and Tuesday morning, September 3rd, for a proper offshore gem. The rest of the window? A lot of waiting for the wind to play nice.

Rusty.

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