Downtowns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your wetsuit, 'cause the next couple of weeks are looking pretty special around Downtowns. We've got a solid, consistent run of groundswell hitting this reef, so if you've got a longboard or a step-up, you're in for a treat.

This is a classic, powerful SW swell, right in the wheelhouse for Downtowns. The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is just about bang-on average for this time of year, so it’s comfortable for a long session. The swell energy is going to be ramping up, hitting some serious numbers like 1856 on Monday, so you know there's some real force behind these waves.

Let’s break it down. We kick off on Monday, August 24th, with clean 7 ft SSW groundswell and a 16-second period. That’s long-period, energy-packed stuff. The wind is a light cross-off, keeping those faces smooth. This is proper advanced territory at that size—if you're not confident, give it a wide berth, because it’s going to be heavy.

Tuesday the 25th is the big standout. The morning is still clean at 6 ft, but the real magic is Tuesday afternoon. The wind goes glassy, the swell bumps up a touch to 6 ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the energy is pumping at 1494. We’re talking silky, lined-up walls. The crowd factor is just “sometimes” here, so keep your head on a swivel, but it’s worth it. That’s the session to plan your day around.

Wednesday the 26th holds that same quality with glassy conditions all day and 6 ft swell. It’s still a solid size, but the period drops to 14 seconds, making it a touch more manageable.

Then we hit a bit of a lull on Thursday the 27th. The swell drops right down to 4 ft, and the wind goes cross-on. The energy dips to 860, so you can probably give that one a miss unless you're desperate for a paddle.

Things get interesting again on Friday, August 28th. We’ve got a spike to 8 ft SSW groundswell with a 17-second period. The energy is massive—4123 in the morning. But the wind is cross, not clean, so it’s going to be a bit of a battle. This is strictly for the pros; at this size and power, it's a real handful.

The next week settles down a touch. Monday, August 31st, the afternoon looks unreal with a 6 ft SW groundswell, 19-second period, and glassy conditions—energy is 2625 again. Tuesday, September 1st, is also a standout with 7 ft SW swell and glassy, glassy winds all day. That’s another one to circle on the calendar.

From there, the consistency holds into the second week with 5 ft to 7 ft waves, mostly clean, but the wind isn't as perfect. The period drops into the 14-15 second range, so it’s not quite as punchy, but there will still be plenty of fun waves for the experienced crew.

The very end of the forecast, around September 7th and 8th, sees the swell drop back to 5 ft – 5 ft. The energy is around 798, so it’s getting weaker, but it’s still a clean, fun size for a longboard if the conditions play ball.

So, to sum it up: of the entire run, Tuesday afternoon the 25th and Monday afternoon the 31st are your absolute top-tier moments. Glassy, groundswell, and pumping. Get out there.

- Rusty

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