8th Street Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you—this forecast window is a tough watch for 8th Street Jetty. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of tiny, weak surf and pretty ordinary conditions for the next week and a half. There’s a glimmer right at the very end, but you’ll need patience.

The overall pattern is flat. For the first 11 days, from Saturday the 15th of August right through to Tuesday the 25th, it’s all poor surf conditions. We’re talking ankle-snappers at best, with swell heights barely cracking 2 ft. The combined energy is negligible, often under 60—weak stuff. The wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, making things choppy and messy. Monday the 17th goes completely flat with zero wave energy, and that’s a real kicker.

You get a little bump around Wednesday the 26th of August. That morning, we’ve got 3 ft of S swell with a period of 6 seconds, clean conditions with a light offshore cross-off breeze from the W at 3 mph. The combined energy hits 83—still low, but it’s the most we see. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and I’d call that a lifeline rather than a standout. It’s small and short-period, so don’t expect any punch.

There’s another clean window on Thursday the 27th of August morning, with 2 ft of SE swell and a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is 60, and the wind is offshore from the W at 9 mph. That’s glassy, but the size is tiny. For a spot that’s “fairly exposed” to NE swell and needs a proper push, this is a tease.

There are no true standouts in this run. The best is that Wednesday the 26th morning session—the cleanest, most ridable wave of the bunch. Still, at 3 ft and short period, it’s only for the dedicated, maybe a longboard or a foiler. The water temp doesn’t have an anomaly noted, so it’s about average for the time of year.

If you’re a beginner, anything over 5 ft is a worry, but we never get there. At 3 ft, it’s safe. The 11-second period on Thursday is a bit longer, which can mean better shape, but at 2 ft you’re still scratching for push.

Honestly, there’s a gap of about 11 days with nothing worth rushing for. The end of the window on the 28th and 29th fades back into poor surf. If you’re desperate and the wind holds, give Wednesday the 26th a look, but keep expectations low.

Rusty.

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