Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what's cookin' for this spot.

Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it – the next sixteen days at Empty Lots (reef) are a real grind. From the 31st of August through the 3rd of September, it's a total no-go. The wind is howling cross-shore, whipping up a nasty chop, and the wave comment is poor surf conditions. Sure, there's swell, like that 2.4m from the east on the 3rd, but it's a short-period 8 seconds and with a 28 mph cross-breeze, it's just a mess. The combined swell energy is strong, hitting 1204, but it's useless for a clean wave.

We finally get a glimmer of hope on the 4th of September. Friday afternoon, the swell drops to 1.5m from the south with a better 11-second period, but the wind is still a fresh cross-shore, so it's only marginal. The weekend of the 5th and 6th looks a bit better if you're really keen. The swell bumps up to 1.9m to 2.0m from the east, with a nice 13-second period – that's a solid groundswell, with strong energy (1884). But the wind is a moderate cross-shore, so you're still dealing with a cross-chop.

The one true standout is Monday the 7th of September. The wind drops off to a gentle breeze, and the swell holds at 1.8m to 1.9m from the east-northeast, with a 12-second period. Monday afternoon, the wind goes almost glassy at 3 mph, which is as good as it gets here. The combined energy is still strong (1600). This is your window. After that, it's back to marginal or poor conditions, with cross-shore winds and fading swell all the way to the 15th.

Water temp at the start is a warm 81°F, which is about average for the time of year.

So, the call is simple: if you're going, make it Monday the 7th. The swell is a solid 6 feet, so it's got some push, but the light wind is your best shot at a clean wave. It's a fairly consistent spot, so you might have some company. The rest of the forecast is a right-off.

Rusty.

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