Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' at Empty Lots.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of ocean is going through a bit of a moody spell. The water is sitting at a pretty average temperature for this time of year, nothing wild there. But the real story is the wind. It's been howling from the ENE for days, and it's not letting up for a while. That's making things messy, with a constant cross-chop that's just killing the wave quality. The swell energy is pretty hefty behind it all – we're seeing moderate to strong combined energy readings, like 481 to 992 (moderate) in the early days, and then it jumps up to four-digit numbers like 1172 and 1417 (strong) by the weekend, but the wind is just ruining it.

For the first week, from Tuesday the 21st through to Monday the 27th, it's a write-off. The wind is too strong and too cross-shore, creating lumpy, choppy conditions. The wave heights are small, between 2ft and 6ft, with a period that's all over the place – we get a super long 24-second period swell from the SSW on Wednesday the 22nd, but that's just a tease with that wind. There's a bit of a bump in size on the 27th and 28th, with the swell pushing 6ft to 6ft, and the period dropping to a more standard 14 seconds, which is okay, but the wind is still messy.

Now, the first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday, July 28th. The morning is still a bit lumpy with a 6ft E swell and a cross-shore breeze, but the afternoon... the afternoon is the standout. The wind goes light and variable, becoming a clean cross-offshore from the NE at 15 mph. The swell is a solid 6ft from the ENE with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1546. This is the best window we've got. The waves will be clean, with that offshore wind holding the faces up. It's a bit of a beast at 6ft, getting into the intermediate zone, but for any experienced surfer, this is the session to aim for. The break is fairly consistent, but crowds are possible, so don't expect to have it all to yourself.

After that, Wednesday the 29th still has some clean moments, with a 5ft ENE swell and a glassy cross-offshore wind in the afternoon, but the energy is dropping. From Thursday the 30th onward, the bottom falls out. The wind swings around and the swell drops to tiny 2ft to 4ft slop with short periods. The forecast looks pretty bleak through the end of July and into the first week of August. There's a small window on Sunday, August 2nd with a 4ft E swell, but it's short period (8 seconds) and the wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it's back to the lumpy stuff. Honestly, for the rest of the run, you're better off finding something else to do.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The only real, honest-to-goodness quality surf is that Tuesday afternoon, July 28th at Empty Lots. It's going to be clean, with a decent-sized swell. Mark it on your calendar, but don't hold your breath for the rest of the forecast.

Rusty.

Read more