Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about the surf here at Dunes. This is a consistent reef break that’s exposed to the southwest, so it’s waiting for those groundswells. It’s an intermediate-level wave, but it can get good.

The first action is a bit messy. Saturday morning, the 8th of August, is cloudy with a 16 mph cross-offshore wind. The swell is 4.6 ft from the southwest, with a long 16-second period, and the combined swell energy is moderate (912). The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s clean, but the conditions are just marginal, and the score is low. That afternoon, the wind picks up to 25 mph, and the surf is poor, so don’t bother.

Sunday morning, the 9th, is a different story. The sky is clear, the wind is a fresh 22 mph from the southeast, blowing straight offshore. The swell bumps up slightly to 4.9 ft, still from the southwest, with a 15-second period. The energy is strong (1124). It’s clean and fresh, but the rating is still just marginal. However, Sunday afternoon is the first real standout. The wind drops to 12 mph from the south-southeast, still offshore. The swell is 5.2 ft, period 17 seconds, and the energy jumps to 1416. The conditions are excellent for experienced surfers, with that moderate offshore wind keeping the faces clean. This is the best session of the first week.

Monday, the 10th, is a step down. The swell holds at 4.9 ft in the morning, but the wind is cross-offshore again, and the conditions are only marginal. The energy is moderate (1028). Monday afternoon drops to 3.9 ft and stays marginal.

Tuesday, the 11th, is a write-off. The swell gets too small, and the wind is a solid 28 mph. Even though it’s offshore, the waves are tough to paddle into. Wednesday, the 12th, is the next highlight. The morning is still marginal with a 22 mph offshore, but the afternoon is glassy. The wind goes dead calm at 3 mph from the north, and the swell is a clean 3.9 ft from the southwest with a 16-second period. The energy is moderate (712). That glassy surface is going to make for some really good, clean waves. That’s a solid pick.

The rest of the week into the weekend is small and choppy. The swell drops to 2.6 ft to 3.3 ft, and the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore. The water stays warm enough. The surf is poor, so you’re looking at a gap of a few days with nothing good.

Now, look ahead to the second week. Monday, the 17th of August, shows a new pulse of swell. The morning is cloudy, with a 4.3 ft swell from the west-southwest, period 13 seconds, and energy is moderate (1130). The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s a bit bumpy, but the score is a 3. The afternoon builds to 5.2 ft with a very long 18-second period from the west-southwest, and the energy is strong (1943). The wind is light and onshore, but the conditions are unknown. It’s promising, but uncertain.

Tuesday, the 18th, is the biggest bet of the run. The morning is a 6.2 ft swell from the west-southwest, period 17 seconds, energy is very strong (1947). The wind is light and cross-shore. The score is a 3, but it’s marginal because of the tide. The afternoon holds the same size and energy, but the wind picks up to 16 mph, creating a cross-chop. That’s too big and messy for most.

Wednesday, the 19th, is still solid with 5.9 ft to 6.2 ft swell, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph offshore in the morning, making it clean but still a handful. The energy is very strong (1735-1836). It’s marginal.

Thursday, the 20th, is the biggest and most exciting. The morning is a 6.9 ft swell from the west-southwest, period 16 seconds, and the energy is 2007. The wind is a moderate 16 mph offshore, and the conditions are clean. However, the data says the swell is too big for this break. This is for experts only. The afternoon is still 6.6 ft, but the wind goes cross-onshore, ruining it.

The final few days, from the 21st to the 23rd, drop back to 3.9 ft to 5.2 ft swells with offshore or cross-offshore winds. The energy is moderate to moderate-strong. The morning of the 23rd, Sunday, is clean with a 3.9 ft swell and a moderate offshore wind. The score is a 3, and it’s described as very good surf conditions. A nice way to end the run.

So, the standout session is definitely Sunday afternoon, the 9th of August, with that 5.2 ft, 17-second southwest groundswell and a clean offshore wind. For the second week, it’s a gamble, but Thursday morning, the 20th, is the biggest energy, but it’s too big for most

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