Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a look at Empty Lots, and honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead. The overall pattern is one of persistent cross-shore winds and only marginal surf, with a lot of days where you’re better off doing something else.

Let’s run through it. The first real sniff of anything happens on Tuesday, July 21st. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the S with a long period of 14 seconds, but it’s being blown out by a 15 mph cross-shore wind. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no worries there. But the wave comment is “marginal surf forecast,” and honestly, it’s a mess.

The next few days, from Wednesday the 22nd through to the end of the week, are a write-off. Wind speeds are up around 22 mph, every session is flagged as “poor surf conditions,” and the combined swell energy is strong, but it’s all junk. We’re talking about a 2ft to 3ft swell with a short, weak period, hammered by a fresh cross-shore breeze.

Now, we do see a bit of a pulse building towards the end of the month. On Monday, July 27th, the swell bumps up to 4ft from the E, but the period drops to 14 seconds. The wind is still a cross-shore 12 mph, so it’s not clean. The score lifts a little, but it’s still “marginal.”

The best of a bad bunch looks like it could be the afternoon of Wednesday, July 29th. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the E, with a 12-second period, and the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the NE at 9 mph. The combined energy is moderate (988), and the conditions are described as “clean.” That’s the standout. It’s still not pumping, but it’s the cleanest it’s going to be all forecast. The swell is over 5ft, so it might be a bit much for beginners, but for the average surfer, it’s the only window worth looking at.

After that, it drops off again. Thursday, July 30th, has a 5ft swell but the wind is onshore, and by Friday, July 31st, it’s back to junk. We then hit a big gap of poor conditions from the 31st of July right through until the 5th of August. The swell gets tiny, the wind is up, and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” at best.

The last few days of the forecast, around August 5th, we see a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW with a long 16-second period. The wind is light, but it’s cross-onshore. The combined energy is moderate (560), but it’s just not enough to get excited about.

So, the call is simple. The best session on offer is the afternoon of Wednesday, July 29th. It’s not a classic, but with clean conditions and a 5ft E swell, it’s the only one worth paddling out for. The rest of the period is a classic case of “beach looks better than it is.” If you’re a kite surfer, the strong cross-shore winds on the bigger days might be more your thing.

Rusty.

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