Downtowns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got some solid SW groundswell rolling in, and water temps are a normal 80° for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary. The first real standout is Sunday morning at Downtowns. It’s a reef break, so it handles long-period groundswell really well, and with wind going glassy, the surf will be clean and lined up. Expect chest-to-head-high waves around 5ft from the SW, a long 13-second period, and moderate wave energy. The word on the street is “expect very good surf conditions,” and I’d agree—this is the pick of the first day. Sunday morning you’ll find fairly consistent waves, with only occasional company.

The afternoon holds the same size and quality, just a light breeze, so you can stretch the session out.

Come Monday morning (31st August), the swell drops a little to 4ft with some cross-shore wind—still doable but average. The big jump comes Monday afternoon. The period stretches to a very long 18 seconds, size bumps to 5ft, and wind turns cross-offshore. That’s clean, punchy, and the energy kicks up hard. This is excellent for experienced surfers only.

Tuesday (1st September) is the next standout. Morning has 7ft SW swell at 18 seconds, clean cross-off wind, and serious energy. This is powerful, well-shaped surf—definitely not for beginners with size over 5ft. Afternoon stays similar, just a tick less period.

Wednesday morning (2nd) gets a bit messy with cross-shore wind, but Wednesday afternoon cleans right up with offshore ESE breezes and 7ft SW swell. Good again for the advanced crew.

Thursday and Friday (3rd–4th) see a drop in size and energy, with some cross-shore wind and chop, so those days are more average. Saturday (5th) picks up a little, and by Saturday afternoon the energy pushes back up with clean cross-off wind.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting again. Sunday (6th September) shows a big pulse of long-period SSW swell—7ft at 16 seconds, with serious energy. The catch? Cross-shore winds keep it from being glassy clean, but there’s plenty of grunt. The following Monday and Tuesday (7th–8th) hold solid size with energy in the thousands, but the wind is often cross-shore, so not pristine.

The next true standout window is Thursday afternoon (10th September) and then especially Saturday the 12th. That Saturday morning kicks off with glassy conditions, 5ft SW swell at 15 seconds, and strong energy—smooth, clean, and powerful. The afternoon is even better: 7ft, 17-second period, glassy, and energy through the roof. This is the best of the second week, though it’s a bit further out so keep an eye on it.

Monday 14th afternoon wraps up the run with offshore E wind, 7ft SW swell, and clean conditions.

Overall, the standouts are Sunday 30th morning for a glassy start, and the run from Monday afternoon 31st through Tuesday 1st September for bigger, clean, powerful groundswell. Further out, Saturday 12th September is the one to pencil in. Crowds at Downtowns are sometimes an issue, but with these quality windows, expect a few locals out.

Rusty.

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