Delray Public Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board, but maybe leave it in the car for a while. This is shaping up to be a flat spell for our stretch of coast. We're looking at a solid run of days with nothing but knee-high dribble and onshore junk. There's a gap here that starts right now and stretches for the better part of two weeks. We’re talking about tiny, weak surf with the odd pulse of energy showing up but nothing that'll get your heart racing. The only real bright spot is a couple of glassy mornings, which will make the water look pretty, but it's a lake out there. Don't get too excited about the long-range charts either; there’s something trying to show up in the final days of the month, but it’s a promise, not a guarantee.

Let’s run through it day by day. Tuesday the 18th kicks us off with some tiny 1ft ESE wind-slop and a 10-second period. The wave energy is weak, sitting at (26). The water temp is 87°, which is about normal for this time of year. There’s almost no wind, so it will be glassy, but there’s just nothing to ride.

Wednesday the 19th stays painfully small at 0.7ft, with a bit more energy but still nothing. The morning has light offshore WNW wind which is clean, but the swell is just not there. By the afternoon, the wind swings onshore from the ESE. We’re just waiting.

Thursday the 20th continues the trend. Morning brings 0.7ft with a glassy surface and light NW wind. Afternoon sees a risk of thunderstorms and light cross-on SE breeze. Still, nothing but ripple.

Friday the 21st finally sees a slight bump in size, up to 2ft in the morning, but the period drops to 4 seconds. That’s just wind chop. The energy is still weak at (17). By the afternoon, the wind picks up to 12 mph from the SSE, making things choppy and cross-onshore. Not good. This trend of weak, short-period junk continues through Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, with sizes staying under 1ft. We’ve got moderate cross-onshore winds and the ever-present risk of a thunderstorm to keep things interesting. It’s not surf; it’s just a messy ocean.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are more of the same. Tiny 1ft to 2ft swells with periods stuck at 4 seconds. The energy values are all in the low double digits, which tells you all you need to know: it’s weak. The wind is mostly light and cross-onshore, occasionally onshore, and the surface is just rippled and bumpy.

We roll into Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th. Still small, but the swell period finally starts to climb, reaching 14 seconds on Thursday. That means the energy is a bit more defined. The combined energy reads (29) and (30), which is still weak. But a 14-second period means there are some longer-period waves in the water. However, with a swell height of only 0.7ft, it's just not enough to break properly. The moderate cross-onshore wind will also chop up any potential.

Friday the 28th sees the period drop back, but the energy ticks up to (44) in the afternoon. Still, the size is only 1ft. So close, yet so far. The weekend of the 29th and 30th is similar. We have some cleaner conditions on Sunday the 30th morning with glassy conditions and light S wind as the swell holds at 1ft with a period of 9 seconds. The energy reads (25), but it's still not enough to surf. The final days, August 31st through September 2nd, are a continuation of this pattern. Small swells from the ENE with periods dropping back to 7 or 8 seconds. The energy remains weak. On the morning of the 31st, it’s glassy with a WSW breeze, but the swell is just 0.7ft.

So, to be honest, there isn't one standout day. There is no day that’s better than the rest because there is no surf to speak of. Everything is below ankle-snapping height, and the energy is too weak to be meaningful. The periods are mostly short, except for that one pulse around the 27th, but it's too small. For a beginner, it’s a total write-off. For a kitesurfer, you might get some marginal rides with the consistent cross-onshore breeze, but for a surfer? This is a time to wax your board, check your fins, and maybe take up fishing. Don’t hold your breath; the ocean is just taking a break. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but right now, this is a dead period.

Rusty out.

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