Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right now, there’s nothing doing at Empty Lots. I’ve got to be straight with you – across the entire 16-day window there’s not one session worth paddling out for. The wind’s coming out of the ENE, dead cross-shore from morning to afternoon almost every day, and that’s just shredding any chance of a clean face. Water temp is sitting around 81°, about average for this time of year, but you won’t care about that because you’ll be on the beach.

We do see a solid, long-period groundswell from the S on the 12th and 13th – swell heights of 4 ft to 4 ft with an 18-second period at first, dropping to 15–16 seconds. The combined energy is strong, hitting 1152 and then 1011, so there’s plenty of power in the water. But with that cross-shore wind blowing a fresh 19–22 mph, it’s a lumpy, choppy mess. No score worth mentioning, just marginal conditions at best.

The 15th into the 16th gets proper heavy – Saturday afternoon sees 12 ft of short-period E swell at 9 seconds, combined energy skyrocketing to 2207, and winds near gale force at 31 mph from the ENE. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine. Even the 8 ft on Sunday afternoon the 16th with the wind easing slightly is still cross-shore and lumpy. If you’re a kite surfer, this setup might get your attention, but for a paddle surfer, forget it.

Beyond that, from the 17th onward, it just fades into small, weak leftovers: 1 ft to 4 ft of SSW to SW swell with period around 14–18 seconds, but combined energy is below 1000 and often under 600. The wind stays cross-shore, moderate to fresh, and the comments tell the story – poor surf conditions, marginal at absolute best. There’s one brief glimmer on the 25th morning where the swell bumps to 4 ft from the SSW with period around 16 seconds and combined energy at 965, but the wind is still cross-shore. It’s not enough to call a standout.

Honestly, this stretch looks like a dud. Keep the board in the car and wait for a change – it can’t stay this poor forever. If you’re desperate, keep an eye on the 20th morning when the wind drops to a gentle breeze and there’s a little 2 ft SW groundswell with 18-second period, but that’s more of a longboard cruise than a surf. That’s all I’ve got.

Rusty

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