Downtowns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s just get straight into it. We’ve got one spot on the radar for the whole sixteen days, and it’s a good one. The name of the game is Downtowns, a reef setup that’s fairly consistent and advanced. It’s a SW-facing reef, and the swell is coming from the SSW to SW, which is exactly what it wants.

The water is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The opening days are clean but a little on the small side. Tuesday morning, July 28, we’re looking at 3 ft of SSW swell with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, but it’s small. Winds are light and cross-off (6 mph), so it’s clean. The combined energy is moderate (557). Not a headline, but you can get wet if you’re desperate. Wednesday the 29th picks up a little, with 4 ft to 4 ft and a 14-second period; still clean, energy climbing into the high 700s.

Now, Thursday July 30 is where it starts to get real. The swell holds at 4 ft, but the period jumps to 15 seconds, and the energy pushes into four digits (1338). Winds are light cross-off and it’s clean. That’s a solid pulse for a reef. The wave comments say excellent for experienced surfers, and I agree. Friday July 31 is the early standout. Glassy conditions, 3 mph winds, and a 4 ft swell with a 17-second period. The energy is strong (1603). This is the kind of morning you set the alarm for. The long period means those lines will be lined up, and with the reef, it’s going to be a treat.

The first weekend of August, Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd, sees the swell push up. Saturday morning has a bit of a cross-on breeze, but the afternoon goes glassy again with 6 ft. Sunday the 2nd is a big one: 7 ft to 7 ft, glassy, 16 to 17 seconds, and the energy is strong (2093 to 2376). This is for advanced surfers only, as it’s over 5 ft, but it’s clean and powerful. That Sunday is a true highlight.

Monday August 3 holds at 6 ft and glassy, but the period drops to 15 seconds. Still very good, but the energy drops a little. Tuesday August 4 gets a bit messy with a cross-shore breeze and marginal conditions. We skip that. Wednesday August 5 comes back clean with 5 ft and a cross-off breeze, and energy is solid (1258). Thursday August 6 has a cross-shore breeze in the morning, but the afternoon cleans up with 7 ft and a 17-second period, and energy is very strong (2581). Another good call.

Friday August 7 is a big one. The morning is 8 ft, cross-off at 9 mph, and a 16-second period. The energy is massive (3032). That’s big, powerful, and only for the experienced. The afternoon gets a bit windier (16 mph), so get it in the morning. Saturday August 8 is a weird one. The morning has a 4 ft swell with a 23-second period, which is incredibly long. That’s a very long period groundswell, which can be a bit too straight for beach breaks, but on a reef like Downtowns, it might just be perfect. The energy is huge (2964). The afternoon jumps to 8 ft, 20 seconds, and the energy is off the charts at 5653. That is a massive pulse. But it’s for advanced only.

Sunday August 9 is the biggest, with 12 ft and an 18-second period. The energy is extreme (6989). That is not for the faint of heart. The wind is a cross-shore in the morning, so it might be a bit lumpy, but the afternoon is cross-off. This is expert-only territory. The following week, from August 10 to 12, the swell stays solid at 8 ft, with periods around 15 to 16 seconds. The energy remains very strong (2700 to 3740). The wind is mostly cross-off or cross-shore, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are plenty of windows for the experienced crew.

Overall, the standout is the glassy period from Friday July 31 right through Sunday August 2. That’s the best quality, with good size, clean conditions, and that long-period groundswell wrapping in perfectly for the reef. If you can only pick one session, make it the morning of Sunday August 2. The Saturday August 8 afternoon is also a massive, powerful wave, but it’s a bit more of a wildcard.

Stay safe out there, and respect the reef.

Rusty.

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