Elwha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, let's take a good hard look at what's on the menu over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you, it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, dry spell for the Elwha (United States) river mouth. The first few days are a real write-off, with tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. You're looking at at least a solid week of nothing worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 54°F and that’s a full 5°F colder than average for this time of year, so it’s a shock to the system even before you factor in the lack of waves.

The real tease comes on the 4th of September. Friday afternoon, we get a little bump of life. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the west, with a decent 10-second period, and the combined energy hits 123 (moderate). The wind goes glassy, dead calm, absolutely perfect. It’s surfable, but it’s just a taste, and the conditions are described as very ordinary. A real letdown after waiting so long.

Then, the real event. Hold onto your boards for the 6th of September, Sunday. The morning sees a jump to 7 ft from the west with a long 12-second period, and the energy is a massive 1245 (strong to very strong). That’s a solid, powerful groundswell. The wind is light and cross-shore in the morning, but the afternoon is where it’s at. It goes glassy, with a 6 ft west swell. That’s proper, clean, powerful surf. This is the standout. Monday the 7th is also a good backup, with a 5 ft west swell and glassy conditions in the morning, energy at 505 (strong). That’s the one you want to circle on the calendar, but remember, long-range forecasts are a bit of a promise. It’s a river break, so when the swell gets this big, the current can be a handful, but for the experienced surfer, that Sunday afternoon and Monday morning window is the best we’ve got. The rest of the second week drops off again.

Rusty.

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