Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at a pretty grim start to the forecast window at Empty Lots. Honestly, for the first week and a half, it's a write-off. The wind is stuck on a stiff cross-shore from the ENE, blowing 20 to 35 km/h, and it's just churning the place up. The surf is there, but the quality is shot. There's a long stretch with nothing worth paddling out for. The real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until the end of the month.

The best bet we've got is the afternoon of Thursday, the 30th of July. The wind drops right out, going glassy, and we get a clean 2ft swell from the SW. The period is a solid 18 seconds, which is proper groundswell – that long period means the waves will have some real shape and power, though at a reef like Empty Lots, it might line up a bit too perfectly. The combined energy is moderate (554). The water temperature is a balmy 80°, which is pretty much bang on seasonal average for this time of year.

Other than that, Sunday the 26th of July is worth a mention. The morning shows a 4ft E swell with a decent 16-second period, but it's still a bit choppy. The afternoon cleans up a little with a cross-offshore wind, giving us 4ft E swell. The energy is strong (1514), but it's still not a standout. Then on Monday the 27th, we see a 6ft E swell, but with the cross-shore wind, it'll be a messy, lumpy mess. That's getting into expert territory size-wise but the conditions won't do it any favours.

For the rest of the run, it's cross-shore wind and poor surf conditions. The setup at Empty Lots is a reef, so with the wind howling cross-shore, it's less about the paddle and more about frustration. The first real clean opportunity is that Thursday glass-off. It's a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed, but that's the one to circle on the calendar. There's a lot of blank days before that, so don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

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