Downtowns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the setup for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of groundswells on the way, with a big pulse of energy hitting toward the end of the period. The focus is on one spot that’s going to see a lot of action: Downtowns. This is a reef break, fairly exposed to the SW swell, and it’s setup for some serious waves. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is about average for the time of year. Nothing freaky there.

The first decent surf kicks off Tuesday afternoon, the 8th of September. Swell is already up to 6ft from the SSW with a very long period of 18 seconds. That’s some serious groundswell energy, and the combined energy is cranking at 3202. Wind is a light cross-off from the SSE, so it’s clean. This is excellent surf, but at 6ft on a reef with that long period, it’s one for the experienced crew only. The long period means the waves will be well-shaped and powerful, but the sets will be a bit more spaced out. This is a good sign.

Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th stays solid, with swell holding around 6ft to 8ft from the SSW. The wind gets a bit more cross than we’d like during the mornings, but the afternoons clean up nicely. Friday afternoon (11th) is a standout: the wind swings offshore from the ESE, the swell is 6ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the energy is still strong at 1919. The water is clean. This is a beautiful window for an experienced surfer.

But the real highlight is the weekend. Saturday the 12th morning is a dream – glassy conditions, 5ft of SW swell, and a 15-second period. The energy is 1731. That’s as good as it gets for a clean, powerful wave without it being too heavy. Then Sunday the 13th afternoon brings another standout: 7ft from the SW, 17 seconds, and offshore wind from the east. The energy jumps to 2823. That’s a proper session.

The following week keeps the momentum. Monday the 14th afternoon, Tuesday the 15th afternoon, and Wednesday the 16th morning all have glassy or offshore conditions with solid 6ft to 6ft SW swell. The energy is still in the 1500 to 2000 range. Good, clean, powerful surf for the experienced.

Then we get the big one. On Tuesday the 22nd of September, the swell absolutely lights up. Morning sees 10ft from the SSW with an 18-second period, and the energy is a massive 6488. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSE. This is huge, powerful, and only for experts. The afternoon is even bigger at 12ft (energy 6567). This is a serious swell event. Wednesday the 23rd holds at 10ft with glassy conditions in the afternoon. If you’re an advanced surfer, this is the week to be at Downtowns. The crowds are mentioned as “sometimes” here, so expect a few others with the same idea, especially for those standout sessions.

The run is strong. There are no real gaps of dead days here, just a steady flow of clean, powerful groundswell. The first week is excellent, the second week is epic. If you’re not an experienced surfer, the days with swell under 5ft, like the 18th and 19th, are your best bet for something a bit more manageable.

Stay stoked, Rusty.

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