Elwha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and uninspiring for our stretch of coast. We've got a long stretch of small, weak swell and less-than-ideal conditions. It's one of those times where you gotta be patient, or find something else to do. There will be a real gap in any meaningful surf, so don't get your hopes up for any epic sessions. The only wave on offer is Elwha, a sheltered river break, but it's not exactly firing.

The water is running a very unusual 52°, which is a massive 7° colder than normal for this time of year. That’s not just a little chill, that’s a full-on wetsuit, hood, and booties situation. It’s going to feel properly cold out there.

Let’s be honest, the first few days are a write-off. Monday the 17th is showing poor surf, with light cross-shore winds and waves around 2ft to 2ft. The energy is weak, with the combined swell energy reading a feeble 38 and 50. You're better off waxing your board just to keep it from drying out.

Tuesday the 18th sees a slight bump. The morning is glassy, which is a major positive, with the swell at 3ft from the W, and the energy reading 130. It's surfable but very ordinary. The afternoon, however, turns to a light cross-shore and the period jumps to 13 seconds, but the size drops to 2ft. It's just not enough to get excited about.

Wednesday the 19th brings the biggest swell of the entire period at 4ft from the W, with a 12-second period and moderate energy at 339. The morning is glassy and clean. This is the highlight of the week, but it is still small, and this is a river break. Long-period swells like this can break a bit too straight at beach breaks, but at a river mouth, the shape can be okay. Oh, and the spot is sheltered and can be inconsistent. So, you're looking at occasional waves rather than a constant reel. It’s still probably the best it's going to get for a while.

Thursday the 20th is a similar story. Morning glass with 4ft on the face, but the energy drops a bit to 274. Afternoon goes cross-on. Friday the 21st, the swell backs down to 3ft, and it’s mostly cross-shore winds. The weekend is even smaller. From the 22nd onward, we are looking at waves that are under 3ft, and the energy levels are consistently weak.

The second week is looking even more grim. It’s a long stretch of small, weak, and poor-quality surf. There will be multiple days with nothing rideable at all. The combined swell energy drops to double digits, which is as weak as it gets. The swell is all over the place direction-wise, but the size is just pathetic. It's a blank run, plain and simple.

The one ray of hope, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning is looking glassy with a 2ft W swell, but the period is a long 14 seconds. Conditions are still only described as surfable, not good. The energy is a weak 106. It's a last gasp, but with that cold water, it's hard to recommend.

With this sort of weak swell, poor quality, and those breezes, if you're really desperate to get on the water, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. If you have a kite, this might be your only option. For the rest of us, it's time to check the long-range charts and hope for a change.

This is Rusty, signing off. Keep the faith.

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