Flagler Avenue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Flagler Avenue over the next couple of weeks. I’m Rusty, and I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a grim stretch. The entire 16-day window is a write-off for any decent surf. We’re looking at a long, flat spell with nothing but poor conditions on the menu from now until the end of the period on September 9th.

Water temps are sitting right at 84°F which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least it’ll be a nice swim if nothin’ else.

Right from Tuesday afternoon the 25th of August, it’s a no-go. Swell is tiny, 1 ft from the ESE with a period of 11 seconds, but that easterly breeze onshore at 12 mph is just choppin’ it all to hell. Combined wave energy is a weak 47, and the report says “poor surf conditions”. That’s the story for day one, and honestly, it doesn't let up.

Wednesday morning the 26th of August might look clean with a light cross-off breeze, but the swell is next to nothing at 1 ft. The afternoon brings in a 3 ft spike, but it’s a shocking 4-second period windswell, cross-shore and messy – combined energy at 30. That’s not surf, that’s bathwater with a ripple.

Thursday the 27th has a glassy morning with a light southerly breeze, but the swell is just 1 ft. Not enough to push a leaf. The afternoon is bigger on the period chart (14 seconds at 0.7 ft), but the cross-shore wind kills any chance of a wave.

From there it’s just day after day of tiny swells, most under 2 ft, with onshore or cross-onshore winds from the east and southeast. The combined energy rarely cracks 100, except for a couple of brief blips. Friday afternoon the 28th of August hits 138 with a 3 ft ESE swell at 9 seconds, but that’s still cross-shore and messy – a kite surfer might get a look, but for a paddle surfer? Forget it.

Through the end of August and into September, the pattern stays the same: small, weak, and onshore. The 2nd of September afternoon climbs to 2 ft at 12 seconds with a combined energy of 148, but that 16 mph ENE cross-on wind is just rippin’ it apart. Choppy and poor.

The rest of the first week of September and into the second week (through the 9th) is more of the same. Tiny 1 ft to 2 ft swells, dirty winds, and a constant stream of “poor surf conditions” ratings. There are a couple of glassy moments on the 8th and 9th of September in the morning – flat calm winds – but with nothing but knee-high dribble to surf, it’s a lake, not a break.

Flagler Avenue is a beach and jetty setup, very consistent, but when the consistency is for flatness and chop, it’s just a bad run. The bottom line is: there are no good options in this 16-day window. Zero. None. For this area, a blank run like this happens, but it’s a bummer. Hang tough, forecasts can change, but for now, leave the board in the shed.

Rusty.

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