Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what we've got cookin'.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day run, it's a tough stretch for Empty Lots. The water is sitting at a pretty normal 80° for this time of year, but that's about the only thing that's average. We’ve got a long, long gap of nothing but poor conditions for paddle surfing. For the first week and a half, from Friday the 3rd to Saturday the 11th, it’s just one messy session after another. The wind is locked in from the ENE at 15 to 22 mph the whole time, whipping up a cross-chop that’s going to make the ocean look like a washing machine. The wave energy is there – it’s moderate for sure (with combined energy readings between 491 and 923) – but with that wind, it’s going to be bumpy and sloppy. This stretch has no standout days; it’s about as frustrating as it gets, especially for surfing.

Now, finally, on Sunday the 12th of July, we get a little glimmer. The morning shows a marginal possibility. The swells are showing up at 3 ft from the SW with a period of 16 seconds, which is a nice, long groundswell. The wind drops to 12 mph from the ENE, still cross-shore, but it’s a "moderate breeze" now, so the chop should be a bit less gross. The combined energy is a moderate 549. It’s not a standout by any stretch, and the system says the conditions are "marginal" and "questionable tide conditions". But for this forecast, it’s as good as it gets. The break is a reef, so that long-period groundswell should wrap in nicely better than a beach break would – those shorter period wind swells from the 8th and the 9th are just junk.

After that, things slide back. Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th are back to poor conditions with gentle onshore winds. There’s a brief flicker early on Wednesday the 15th with a clean-ish morning from another 18-second SSW groundswell at 2 ft (energy 503), but the wind is gentle cross-on. Then it turns ugly again.

Rusty's Pick? I’m going to have to say the best on offer is Sunday morning, the 12th of July. The 3 ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period at Empty Lots. The wind will be manageable at 12 mph cross-shore, and the combined wave energy is moderate (549). It’s not perfect, but after eleven days of garbage, it’s the one window that might actually look like a surfable wave. Get on it if you can, just keep your expectations in check. This reef is fairly consistent, but the conditions have just been cruel. It tends not to stay this poor forever, though.

- Rusty

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