Fort Walton Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Honestly, it’s a lean stretch for the Panhandle. We’ve got a long run of small, weak surf ahead. For the first several days, you’re looking at waves mostly under 2 ft, with a short, snappy period of just 3 to 5 seconds from the west and southwest. That’s barely enough to get a wobble on a longboard. The swell energy is weak, with values mostly in the single digits or low teens. The wind is a mix of cross and onshore, so the surface is going to be choppy and messy for most afternoons.

The mornings are where you’ll find the best of a bad lot. On Thursday the 16th, Friday the 17th, and Saturday the 18th, we get a light northwesterly wind which keeps things clean. The waves are tiny, 1 ft to 2 ft, but it’s glassy. The real standout for the whole period is going to be Fort Walton Pier. Look for the early sessions on Sunday the 19th (2 ft, period 3 seconds, clean) and again on Monday the 20th morning (2 ft, period 5 seconds, clean). Even then, the swell energy is weak (11 and 19 respectively), so it's strictly a foamie or log day.

After that, the swell does try to pick up a tiny bit around the 25th and 26th, with some 3 ft to 4 ft waves, but the wind is mostly onshore and the water gets choppy. The energy ticks up to 70-81 by the 27th, but it's still poor surf conditions. The wind is just too messy for it to be any good. For a beginner, this is a place to be a little cautious if the swell tries to push above 5 ft, but we don't see that here.

Water temperature? It’s about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit needed.

This is a tough run. If you're desperate, get on the dawn patrol when it's clean. Otherwise, it’s a write-off until the forecasts change. The setup is more interesting for the kite surfers on the choppy, windy afternoons than for paddle surfing.

Rusty.

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