Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the coming swell window for Fortress. This is a reef break set-up, pretty straightforward spot.

Right out of the gate, the first surf I’d even point you toward is Wednesday the 15th. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s the only game in town early on. We’ve got a small 3ft swell from the SW, with a short, weak period of 6 seconds, so don’t expect much push. The wind is howling offshore at 16 mph from the W, which will keep the surface cleaned up, but the wave energy is really low, just 85 (combined energy). Expect ordinary, surfable little waves – not a day to drive for. The water temp is 69°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

Thursday the 16th drops off fast – the swell bottoms out to 2ft in the morning with weak energy (29). The rest of that week through Saturday the 19th is pretty much a write-off. You’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak swell and onshore or cross-off winds that just won’t cooperate. It’s going to be flat or near-flat for days.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday the 20th is a standout. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the S, period pushing up to 9 seconds, and the energy jumps to 241 (moderate energy). The real beauty is the wind: glassy conditions in the morning. That’s a window for clean, fun waves on the reef. It’s still a manageable size for intermediates, and the longer period will give them some shape. This is your best bet in the whole run – a genuine good surf session.

After that, the pattern gets messy again. Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd see the swell stick around 4-4ft from the S, but the wind shifts cross-off or even cross-on, ruining the quality. The energy is decent (up to 269), but the conditions are poor. You’d be hunting for a clean corner.

From Thursday the 23rd through the 30th, the swell drops right back down to tiny knee-high stuff (1 to 3ft) with weak periods and onshore or cross-shore winds from the SE or SSW. It’s a long, flat stretch to end the outlook. The only exception is Sunday the 26th afternoon, where we see a pulse of 4ft from the S with 8-second period and 265 energy, and a solid offshore wind from the W at 13 mph. That could give you another clean, fun session, but it’s the back half of the month and less certain.

Honestly, keep your eyes on Monday the 20th morning. That glassy window with moderate south swell is the clear winner. Everything else is small, wind-affected, or both.

Rusty.

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