Emma Wood State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this is a tough one for the Emma Wood area. We're looking at a 16-day window with very little to get excited about. The water is a balmy 71°, which is a full 7° warmer than usual, so that's a real standout for the time of year, but the surf just isn't cooperating.

The pattern for the whole period is dominated by persistent onshore to cross-onshore winds, mostly from the WSW and SW. While the swell energy does show some moderate pulses, with the combined energy hitting values like 454 (moderate) on September 6th and 435 (moderate) on the 7th, the actual wave quality is consistently rated as poor. The wind is just ruining any chance of clean shape.

Thursday the 3rd kicks off the forecast with a weak, long-period S swell at 2ft, but it's blown out. The next few days see a slow increase in swell height, but it's mismanaged by the wind. By Saturday the 7th, we have a 3ft S swell with a 14-second period, but the cross-onshore wind makes it a mess. Even the marginal surf conditions on the 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, and 12th are just that – marginal, not worth the drive.

The best chance, if you can call it that, might be a couple of windows with light winds. For instance, the mornings of the 11th and 12th of September see a 3ft and 5ft swell respectively, with light onshore breeze. The 5ft on the 12th is the biggest swell on offer, but it's a short-period 6-second W windswell, so it's going to be fat and weak. The combined energy for that is only 306 (moderate), confirming its lack of grunt. For a beginner, that 5ft might be a bit much, but it's the only time the height gets close to interesting.

After that, it drops off a cliff. From the 13th of September right through to the end of the 18th, the swell plummets, with heights barely reaching 2ft. The energy readings drop to weak values, like 45 (weak) on the 14th. This is a long, flat gap of nearly a week with no real surf potential.

So, there are no standouts here. We're looking at a mostly flat run with a few marginal, wind-affected days. About the only thing to note is that the water is unusually warm. For a spot like Emma Wood, which is a fairly consistent beach and reef, this is a poor run. It's the kind of setup that looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer when the wind is up. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

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