Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. To be straight with you, the next couple of weeks at Donuts are looking pretty flat and choppy. The swell sticks around waist-to-chest high for most of the run, but the wind never plays ball, and it's mostly cross-onshore junk. Water temp is a staggering 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year (about 6° above average), so that’s a weird one. But for surfing? It’s slim pickings.

We kick off Saturday the 29th of August. There’s a 4ft SW groundswell with a long 16-second period, so there's some energy in the water (combined energy 715), but the wind is cross-onshore from the WNW at 9 mph. It’s choppy and messy. Poor surf conditions. That theme sticks through the whole first week. Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st stay onshore, with the swell dropping to 3ft by Monday morning and the period falling to 12 seconds. The energy fades quick (456 on Monday morning). The whole first week is a write-off – nothing but cross-onshore slop and scores of zero.

We finally see a glimmer of hope on Monday the 7th of September. The swell picks up just a touch – 3ft from the S at 12 seconds – and the wind lightens. Monday morning is light cross-onshore, barely a ripple, with a combined energy of 541. It’s only a “marginal” call, so tides could mess with it, but that's the first window all week where you might find a grovelly wave. That afternoon goes glassy with unknown wind, which might clean it up even more.

Then Tuesday the 8th of September is our only real standout. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, period 13 seconds, with a big jump in energy to 1226. Still a cross-onshore wind from the WNW at 9 mph, but for a sheltered reef like Donuts, that’s manageable. This is the biggest, most powerful swell of the whole outlook. Be aware – at 6ft, it’s getting solid for intermediates, but not too big for a confident surfer. The period is moderate, so it won't be too straight. It’s the best on offer, no doubt.

After that, it falls apart again. Wednesday the 9th drops to 5ft but with a short 9-second period and 12 mph cross-onshore wind – choppy again. By Thursday the 10th, we’re back to 3ft SW groundswell with a long period, but winds swing cross-shore. It’s small and weak through the second week, with the energy dropping into the 200s by Saturday the 12th.

The very last entry on Sunday the 13th of September shows a 4ft S swell at 13 seconds (715 energy), with light offshore wind from the W in the morning. That looks like the cleanest, most lined-up session of the whole second week, but it’s a long-range call so treat it as promising, not locked in.

Overall, if you’re desperate, Tuesday the 8th of September is your best shot for some size and push, and maybe Monday the 7th or Sunday the 13th for cleaner but smaller waves. The rest is a gap of poor conditions you can sleep through.

Rusty.

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