Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Empty Lots, and I gotta be straight with you—this 16-day window is a tough one. For a spot that’s an advanced reef setup, it’s mostly a story of wind messing things up. We start with a big gap of nothing worth paddling out for. From Friday the 31st of July right through to Monday the 3rd of August, it’s all strong winds and poor conditions. The first chance we get to even think about it is a tiny window on Tuesday the 4th of August.

On Tuesday afternoon the 4th of August, things get a little interesting. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the ENE, super long-period at 11 seconds, which is proper groundswell. The wind goes light, almost glassy, and it’s cross-offshore, so that should polish it up clean. The combined energy is 356—moderate—so there’s a bit of push. For a reef like Empty Lots, that long period could make for some lined-up walls, but it’s only advanced out there, so don’t expect it to be easy. Crowds are possible at this spot sometimes, and with a 4ft swell, it’s not gonna be a circus.

Then we hit another long dry spell. From Wednesday the 5th of August all the way to Thursday the 13th, it’s back to cross-shore winds, lumpy chop, and poor surf ratings. A few mornings show marginal conditions, but the wind’s never your mate. It’s a real grind.

The real standout—and I mean the only one worth getting excited about—comes on Friday the 14th of August afternoon. We get a 2ft swell from the south, with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s a deep ocean groundswell. The wind switches to a light westerly, cross-offshore, and it’ll be clean. The combined energy jumps to 668, which is moderate but with that period, it’ll have way more push than the height suggests. This is the pick of the entire outlook. At a reef, that long-period south swell will wrap in nicely. It’s not big, so it’s user-friendly for the advanced crew, but with 2ft, even some strong intermediates might get a look. Just remember, it’s a rare break that’s inconsistent—so you gotta be there when it lines up.

After that, Saturday the 15th of August morning shows a 3ft south swell with a 16-second period, but it’s onshore wind, so it’ll be bumpy. Not worth the drive.

Water temp? I don’t have a number here, but the anomaly says it’s pretty average for the time of year, so no wetsuit surprises.

Bottom line: there’s a tiny window on Tuesday the 4th of August afternoon, and then a solid chance on Friday the 14th of August afternoon. Everything else is a write-off. Keep an eye on the long-range promise of that 14th—it’s the one that could deliver, but don’t book your flights just yet.

Rusty.

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