Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Dunes, the only game in town for this stretch.

The next 16 days are looking pretty good overall, with a solid run of surfable days, especially for the first week. The water temp is sitting at 74.7°, which is about 1.4° warmer than average for this time of year, so nothing too wild, just a touch of extra warmth in the water. The southwest swell is going to be the main event, and with a long period around 17 seconds on Sunday, we’re talking proper groundswell with plenty of energy.

Sunday morning, the 30th of August, is where it kicks off. We’ve got a sweet 3ft SW swell with a 17-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 545. The wind is a light cross-off from the south at 3 mph, keeping things clean. This is a great session for the morning, but keep in mind that long-period swell like this can make beach breaks a bit tricky – it might break too straight. Dunes is a reef, so it should handle it well. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a stronger cross-on breeze, so make the most of the early hours.

Monday morning, the 31st, sees the swell bump up to 3.6ft from the SW, with a 16-second period. The energy is really humming now at 1216. Winds are cross-off from the south at 9 mph, and it’s clean. This is a standout for the intermediate crew – the waves have some punch, but it’s not over the top. The afternoon, however, turns into a cross-shore mess with the wind swinging westerly and picking up to 16 mph, so forget that.

Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, is another clean session with a 4.6ft SW swell and a 16-second period. The energy is sitting at 1012, and the SSE wind is a light cross-off. It’s still in the fun zone for experienced surfers, but it’s getting close to the 5ft mark where beginners might want to sit this one out. The afternoons all week are pretty much a write-off with the westerly wind picking up.

Wednesday morning, the 2nd, drops back to 3.9ft SW, but that 15-second period keeps the quality high. Energy is 642, and the southerly cross-off keeps it glassy. Thursday morning, the 3rd, is a bit tougher – the wind is up to 16 mph from the south, cross-off, but it’s a bit more on the gusty side, and the swell at 4.3ft SW with a 13-second period loses some of that clean shape. I’d call it marginal.

We hit a bit of a lull from the 4th into the 5th. Friday and Saturday mornings are clean but the winds are strong and the swell is inconsistent. The real standout is Saturday morning, the 5th of September. We get a 4.6ft SW swell with a 16-second period, energy is 1016, and the wind is offshore from the southeast at 9 mph. This is the best of the first week – clean, offshore, and that swell has some grunt. It’s excellent for experienced surfers, but at 4.6ft, it’s not too scary for a confident intermediate. The afternoons, as always, get chewed up by the westerly.

Sunday, the 6th, is a mixed bag. The morning has a fresh offshore breeze but the swell drops to 3.6ft, and the energy is lower. The afternoon picks up to 4.6ft but the wind is cross-off, and it’s a bit lumpy.

Now, the second week kicks off with a strong run. Monday morning, the 7th of September, has a 4.6ft SW swell, 13-second period, and a moderate offshore from the east-southeast. The energy is 878, and it’s clean. It’s a good session, but not the standout.

The next big one is Thursday morning, the 10th. The swell is only 3.6ft, but the period jumps to 20 seconds! That’s very long-period groundswell. The energy is 1455. The wind is a light cross-off, so it’s clean. This is a classic scenario where the reef at Dunes will really shine. The long period means the waves will have a lot of push and shape, but you’ll be waiting a bit longer between sets. Friday morning, the 11th, is even better for the experienced crew. The swell is 5.6ft, period 17 seconds, energy 1678, and the wind is offshore from the southeast. This is a proper swell, but remember, over 5ft gets a bit much for beginners, and at 5.6ft with that period, it’s only for the guys who know what they’re doing. The afternoon gets a cross-on wind, so morning is the go.

Sunday, the 13th,

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