Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Empty Lots.

Truth be told, the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off for decent paddle surfing. The whole stretch from now through to the end of August is plagued by strong cross-shore winds and lumpy, messy conditions. There’s a big gap with no real recommendations until we hit the start of September. The combined wave energy is moderate to strong most days, but with the wind tearing it apart, it’s just not worth getting excited about. The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is about average for this time of year.

Let’s break it down: from Tuesday the 18th through to Sunday the 30th August, we’ve got a solid 13-day stretch where the scores are all poor or marginal. The wind is mostly a fresh cross-shore from the ENE, 18 to 28 mph, turning the swell into a lumpy cross-chop mess. Even when swell heights creep up to 6 ft to 7 ft on the 23rd and 24th, the wind just ruins it. Short period windswell of 7-8 seconds doesn’t help either. It’s the kind of setup that would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

There’s a tiny window on Thursday afternoon the 20th of August when the wind goes glassy, but the swell is only 2 ft from the SW at a long 17 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (399), but it’s just too small and inconsistent to get too excited about. It’s marginal.

Now, after that long dry spell, things finally start to look up on Tuesday the 1st of September. The wind eases back to a gentle cross-onshore, and we start seeing some proper swell from the SSE at 6 ft to 6 ft, with a period of 10 seconds and good energy (1154). It’s still a bit marginal, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a while.

The standout, though, is shaping up for Wednesday the 2nd of September. By the afternoon, the wind swings to a glassy light air from the SW. The swell is 6 ft from the S at a solid 10-second period, with very strong combined energy (1504). Conditions are forecast to be excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle on the calendar, folks. Just keep in mind that a long-period groundswell like this can sometimes break a bit too straight at a beach break, so watch for that. Empty Lots is a reef break that is fairly consistent, but it’s exposed, and it can get crowded sometimes.

So, hang tight through the windy, messy August days. The real hope lies at the very start of September, with that Wednesday afternoon session looking like the genuine best on offer. Until then, keep the board in the bag.

Rusty.

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