Flagler Avenue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The long-range picture is pretty grim for wave-hunting. We’ve got a solid stretch of tiny, poor-quality surf ahead. The first few days are basically a write-off. The weekend of the 30th and 31st has tiny ankle-biters at 2 ft with onshore and cross-shore winds, and it’s just messy. We roll into September the same way; small, weak, and mostly poor. The energy is low, with values in the 40s and 50s, which is about as weak as it gets. Expect a lot of ripples and chop, not much push.

The first real glimmer of something bigger comes Wednesday the 2nd, but it’s still showing as poor surf conditions. The swell bumps to 2 ft, and the period stretches to 10 and then 11 seconds, which is a step in the right direction. The energy values jump into the low to mid 200s, so there’s a pulse of moderate wave energy in the water. But the winds are onshore from the ENE, and that’s just going to chop it up. It’s bigger, but it’s not clean. This is a peak you’ll want to watch, but I wouldn't get too excited.

After that little pulse, we drop right back down again. The rest of the first week and into the second week is more of the same – tiny, weak, and poor. There are a few clean windows in there, like the 5th and the 6th, with light offshores and cleaner conditions, but the swell is barely alive at 1 ft to 2 ft and the energy is pitiful, down in the teens and twenties. It’s flat and pretty.

Then we get to the standout, and it’s a long way off. Check out Wednesday the 9th of September. Morning brings some glassy conditions, a light southerly wind, and a touch more size at 2 ft. The period stretches to 10 seconds, and the energy jumps to 71, which is still weak, but it’s the first time all week the conditions align. The wave comment finally says "surfable waves," which is a win at this point. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be a clean, rideable knee to waist-high wave (2 ft) on a glassy morning. That’s the best on offer in this whole stretch.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums until we hit the real event: Sunday the 13th of September. This is the one that has my attention. We see a jump in swell height to 4 ft, though the direction shifts to the ENE. The period is a short 6 seconds, and the energy is a moderate 134, but the winds are cross-onshore and picking up through the day. The combination of the short period and onshore wind will likely make it a bit lumpy and closed out. It’s the biggest swell of the forecast, but it’s not looking like a classic.

The final day, Monday the 14th, shows a drop back down to 2 ft, but the wind is glassy and light offshore. The period is short at 5 seconds, so it’ll be weak and maybe a bit crumbly, but with that glass, it’ll be clean. It might be the best-looking conditions for a paddle out, but the swell isn't there.

So, here’s the deal: the standout is the glassy morning of Wednesday, September 9th. It’s the only truly clean, surfable window in the whole two weeks. The bigger swell on the 13th is a tease, but the short period and cross-onshore wind will likely make it a blown-out mess. The gap between now and the 9th is a long, flat grind. Hang loose.

Rusty

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