Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here again, but this time in the old-school numbers. Let’s get real about this stretch. It’s a bummer. The only spot we got is Empty Lots, and it’s living up to its name. This reef setup is exposed to the south, and we’re staring down a 16-day window with a massive hole in the start. There’s a good week or more of absolutely no surf worth getting wet for.

The water temp is reading about 81°, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing special.

Monday the 7th kicks off with a cross-on ESE breeze at 19 mph, cranking up to 22 mph in the afternoon. We got swell – 5 ft going up to 8 ft from the SW, with that wave energy feeling moderate to strong (1,644 – 4,124). But the word is “poor.” That 8 ft is pushing into expert territory, and with that wind, it’s just a lumpy, blown-out mess.

Tuesday the 8th is the same sad song. Cross-on wind from the SSW at 19 mph in the morning, dropping to 12 mph later, but still cross-on. Swell hangs around 8 ft before dropping to 6 ft. Still ugly.

Wednesday the 9th gives us a break with lighter winds, but the swell drops to 3 ft. It’s a long-period 14-second groundswell from the SSW, which at a reef setup can be a bit weird, and the energy is weak (483). Still poor conditions.

Thursday the 10th afternoon finally shows a bit of life, but it’s only marginal. We get a 5 ft ENE swell with a short 7-second period, and the wind goes cross-shore at 12 mph. It’s the first time the score even hits a 1 out of 10. The wave energy is moderate (685). It’s the closest we get to a standout, but that isn’t saying much.

From Friday the 11th all the way through the 16th, it’s a brutal stretch of small, weak swell from the SW or SSW, with constant cross-shore ENE winds. Nothing breaks 3 ft. The winds keep things choppy and messy.

Second week, starting September 17th, the swell direction shifts east. By the 18th, we get 7 ft to 7 ft of short-period (8 seconds) east swell, with moderate to strong energy (1,008 – 1,201). But the wind is a strong cross-shore at 25 mph from the ENE. That’s not for surfboards. That’s kite weather. This messy pattern sticks around through the 20th.

Finally, on Monday the 22nd, things calm down a bit. The wind drops to a light cross-shore from the east at 6 mph, with a 4 ft east swell. It’s still short-period (8 seconds), and the energy is weak (374), but with lighter winds, it’s at least marginal. It’s the least terrible option in a grim 16-day outlook.

No standouts here, folks. Don’t plan your week around it. Maybe the morning of the 22nd if you’re really jonesing and the wind stays light. Crowds? Nah, you’ll have the place to yourself.

Rusty.

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