Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I've been staring at the charts for Empty Lots... and honestly, it's a bit of a head-scratcher. We've got a real mixed bag here with some seriously clean conditions popping up at the tail end, but the surf itself is all over the shop.

So, for the next 16 days, the story starts on Wednesday the 2nd with a solid, long-period S swell pushing around 3.3ft, and it's got some serious grunt with a combined energy of 912. But here's the kicker – that ENE wind is howling at 25 mph, and it's cross-shore. That's a recipe for a messy, lumpy chop that'll have you fighting it from the paddle-out. It's poor out there, plain and simple. The water temp is sitting at a nice 81°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, so at least you won't be cold while you're getting frustrated.

We roll into Thursday the 3rd and the swell jumps a bit, up to 5.9ft from the east, but the period drops right off to a short, weak 8 seconds. The energy is still moderate (965), but with that same cross-shore breeze, the quality is just not there.

Friday the 4th does bring a bit of a pulse from the SSE, 4.3ft with a 12-second period, and the energy kicks up to 1104, which is nice. But again, that ENE cross-shore wind ruins the party.

We get a slight reprieve over the weekend of the 5th and 6th. The S swell is still around 5.9ft with a decent 13-second period and some proper energy (1988). The wind does drop a bit to 15-19 mph, but it's still a cross-shore. It goes from "poor" to just "marginal" – you'd be out there, but it's not going to be one for the memory book.

Then things get interesting. On Monday the 7th, the wind finally backs off to a gentle breeze from the ENE. The swell is still solid at 5.9ft, 13-second period, and the energy is pumping at 2376. It's cross-shore though, which keeps the score at the top end of "marginal." It's surfable, for sure, but still a bit bumpy.

Now, hold onto your leash. On Tuesday the 8th of September, things go a bit mental. We get a big 11.5ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 6458! That is some serious power. But here's the catch: the wind is howling onshore from the SE at 19 mph. The notes say "poor surf conditions" and frankly, this is a setup that looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. You'd be a brave soul to get out there in that mess. This is one for the experts only.

After that, the week from the 9th to the 11th is a bit of a washout. The swells drop off, the energy winds down, and the cross-shore winds stick around. It's a quiet period. Most of it gets "poor" or "marginal" labels.

The first real standout shows up on Saturday the 12th. The swell is small, only 2.0ft from the SSW, but the period is a long 13 seconds. The wind goes light from the NE, shifting to a cross-offshore breeze. The notes say "clean" and that's what we like to hear. The energy is low at 378, so it'll be small, but it will be the cleanest surf we've had in over a week.

Then, on Sunday the 13th, we get another glassy moment. The swell is a bit bigger, 3.9ft from the ENE, but with a short 7-second period. However, the wind is glassy from the NNE. The notes say "expect good surf conditions". It might be a bit weak and sectiony because of the short period, but if you just want to get out there with no wind, this is your window.

Now, the true standout of the entire forecast. On Tuesday the 15th, the stars align. We get a tiny but incredibly clean swell: 2.0ft from the SSW, but with a staggering 21-second period. That is very long-period groundswell. The wind is glassy, the notes say "expect very good surf conditions", and the score is the highest we see. Because it's such a long period, it'll be a bit fat and straight at a beach break, but for a reef like Empty Lots (which is exposed and has an optimum direction from the SSE), this could actually set up some beautiful, long lines. The energy is moderate at 626. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

The last few days of the forecast run from the 16th into the 17th see more of a return to those longer-period SSW swells (17-19 seconds) with energies climbing back up to 1343. The wind is light and cross-onshore, making it "marginal" but at least it's not a howling mess.

In short: This is a forecast of two halves. The first week is mostly blown out by cross-shore winds. The glimmers of hope are the glassy Sunday the 13th for a small, clean session, and the real

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