Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the 16-day outlook for Empty Lots. The first thing you need to know is that the first week and a half is a write-off. We’re talking a solid 10 days of nothing but poor surf conditions, strong cross-shore winds, and lumpy, choppy mess. The wind is coming from the ENE at 19 to 25 mph, and it’s relentless. It’s not even side-offshore, it’s straight cross, just tearing the surface up. The swell is a mix of short-period E and ENE stuff, mostly around 6 to 8 seconds, with some SSW pulses mixed in, but the wind just kills it. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is about average for the time of year, or at least it was on the 29th of August. Don’t get your hopes up for any of those first ten days.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show until Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning is still a write-off with that fresh cross-shore, but Tuesday afternoon, the wind eases to a cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph, and the wave comment says "clean". There’s a solid 7 ft swell from the ENE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is strong at 1805. That’s a big step up. The swell is 7 ft, so it’s getting into the zone where it’s a bit much for beginners, but for the experienced crew, that’s a proper session. The direction is ENE, which is not the optimum SSE direction for Empty Lots, but with that cross-off wind and that much energy, you’d be crazy not to paddle out. This is the standout. The crowds are "sometimes" a thing here, so be ready to share the peak.

Wednesday the 9th of September keeps the energy up with 6 ft to 7 ft ENE swell, 10-second period, and moderate breeze. It’s still rideable, but the wind is cross again, so it won’t be as clean as Tuesday arvo. The energy is still very strong, around 1479 to 1554. Thursday the 10th gets even bigger, with 10 ft ENE swell, but the period drops to 8 seconds, and the wind is cross. That’s 10 ft, so it’s expert territory only, and the short period means it’ll be a bit walled up and messy. Risky.

After that, the wind swings to the south and southeast, bringing onshore and cross-onshore wind, and the quality drops right back to poor. The energy is still there, but the wind is foul. By Sunday the 13th of September, the swell drops right back to 3 ft, and guess what? The wind goes glassy. It’s a whisper of a SSW wind, and the conditions are finally, finally clean. The swell is small, only 3 ft from the E at 7 seconds, and the energy is weak at 155. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. After all that wind and big swell, it’s a bit of a letdown. Still, a glassy afternoon on small waves beats a windy day any time.

So, bottom line: the first week and a half is a bust. The only real standout is Tuesday afternoon the 8th of September, with that 7 ft clean ENE swell. That’s the one to circle. The rest is either too windy, too big, or too small.

Rusty.

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