Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's be honest with you about what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta say it: we're looking at a pretty grim 16-day stretch. There's no real stand-out day to get excited about. The surf is on offer right from the start of the period on the 2nd of August, but it's a mess. We're looking at Empty Lots, a reef break, and the conditions are just... not good. For the first week, the wind is a constant cross-shore or cross-onshore, and the swell is a short-period, wind-affected mess. You'll get waves around 2.5ft to 3.5ft, but it's all chop and bump. The water temperature is sitting at 80.8°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so at least it's warm.

We do get a bit of a pulse on the 3rd of August, with a 5.2ft to 5.6ft east swell, but the combined energy is moderate at best (664 to 697) and the wind is still cross-shore. It's a frustrating mix. The water temp anomaly is only 1.1°F, so nothing unusual there, just standard warm water.

The wind doesn't let up. It stays fresh and cross-shore for days. There's a sniff of something with a longer period (18 seconds) on the 8th of August, but the swell height is tiny (1.6ft to 2.0ft) and the wind is howling at 18.6 mph. A long-period groundswell that small isn't going to do much at a reef break, especially with onshore wind.

The second week is more of the same, just with stronger winds. From the 10th of August onwards, we're looking at a solid, strong breeze from the ENE, pushing 25 mph at times. The swell energy picks up into the strong range (1034 to 1048) around the 12th and 13th of August, and the swell direction swings to the south with a very long period of 16 to 18 seconds. This is a serious groundswell, but it's completely wasted. With that wind, the surf will be a straight-up washing machine. The waves might be 3.3ft to 3.9ft, but it's going to be lumpy, messy, and crossed-up. A reef break with a strong cross-shore is just a recipe for a beating.

For a brief moment on the 14th of August, you get a spike to 6.6ft, but it's an east short-period swell with a strong cross-shore. That's over 5ft, so it's getting into the intermediate zone, but with those winds, it's not a beginner's wave. It's just a big, ugly mess. For the rest of the window, it's just the same story: wind, wind, and more wind. Honestly, if you're looking at Empty Lots for this period, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The wind is consistent and strong, and the waves are chopped up.

I wouldn't lose all hope for the long-range stuff, like the 12th of August, but it's a promise that's hard to believe with all that wind in the forecast. It's a poor run, plain and simple.

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