Downtowns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it's Rusty here, your local surf reporter.

We've got a busy 16-day window on the cards with Downtowns. The pattern is consistent, with a solid, long-period SW groundswell running for most of the stretch. The key here is watching the wind, because while the swell is there a lot of the time, cross-shore breezes will keep the surface a bit lumpy. The standout moments are when that wind goes offshore or glassy, and we have a few of those.

Water temps at Downtowns are sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first event kicks off on the afternoon of Saturday, September 5th. It's a bit messy with a 7ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, but it's a cross-shore wind so it's surfable, just not the pick. The combined energy is strong at (2186). Sunday morning is similar, but Sunday afternoon, September 6th, sees the wind shift to a cross-offshore from the SSE, which cleans it up nicely. Swell drops slightly to 5ft from the SSW, but that 16-second interval and 1944 energy means there's still plenty of push for an experienced surfer.

Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are a bit of a mix. Monday has 7-7ft SSW swell and 14-second periods, but that cross-shore wind keeps it from being pristine. Tuesday morning actually cleans up with a very long-period SSW groundswell of 19 seconds at 5ft, but the energy is still significant (2752). The downside there is that for a beach break setup, a 19-second period can make the waves break a little too straight, so it's not as user-friendly. Tuesday afternoon picks up in size to 6ft and the period drops to 18 seconds, but it's cloudy and still cross-shore.

Now, the first real standout is Wednesday afternoon, September 9th. We have a solid 8ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, and although the wind is cross-shore, the raw power is there (2751). It's a big, powerful wave, over 8ft, so this is for the experienced crew only.

Through the rest of the first week, it's a consistent run of 5ft to 7ft SW swell, but mostly with that cross-shore wind holding the quality back. The next clear highlight is the afternoon of Friday, September 11th. The wind goes clean offshore from the ESE, and the 7ft SW swell at 16 seconds will be lined up beautifully. That’s a very good session for advanced surfers.

Moving into the second week, the consistency continues. The absolute best on offer hits on Sunday afternoon, September 13th. This is a beauty. The wind goes glassy, conditions will be perfect, with a 8ft SW swell and an 18-second period. The combined energy is massive at (3123). This will be a powerful, clean, long-period groundswell, perfect for the more experienced surfer, but watch out for the long waits between sets.

Monday the 14th morning is also glassy with a 6ft SW swell, which is a great follow-up, but the Sunday is the top pick. The rest of that week stays punchy, with clean afternoons on Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th. We also see glassy conditions on the morning of Friday the 18th (6ft SW, 16s) and the afternoon of Saturday the 19th (6ft SW, glassy).

We close out the window on Sunday the 20th. The morning is a bit messy, but the afternoon will be glassy with a clean, 7ft SW swell. A solid end to a solid run.

Overall, get ready for a long swell season here. It's consistent, but you have to pick the windows when the wind plays ball. The crowds at Downtowns are possible, so for those standout glassy sessions, expect some company.

Rusty.

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