Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for Fortress is a bit of a tough one. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty bleak for a proper surf session. We’ve got a long stretch of days with barely a ripple, and the one day that shows some size comes with a nasty wind that’ll ruin it.

The water temperature is sitting at 70°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing your toes off while you’re staring at flat water.

The first few days from Sunday the 6th through to Wednesday the 9th are a total write-off. We’re talking tiny 0.3ft to 1.0ft slop, mostly from the east, with almost no energy (combined energy in the teens and low twenties). It’s just not worth paddling out for.

The only real event in the whole 16 days is on Thursday the 10th. We’ve got a pulse of swell from the SSW pushing 6ft in the morning, and the wave energy jumps up to 313 (moderate energy). But here’s the kicker – the wind is howling from the SW at 22-25 mph. That’s a cross-offshore wind, which can clean it up, but it’s so strong it’ll be a battle to get out and the wave quality will be blown out. This is a short-period swell (7 seconds) so the waves will be crumbly and weak. At 6ft, it’s getting into the “too big for beginners” territory, but honestly, with that wind, it’s not a fun size for anyone. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that, we slide back into a long, flat spell. From Friday the 11th right through to Monday the 21st, the swell barely nudges above 2ft, and most days it’s smaller. The energy stays in the low teens to fifties, which is weak. The wind is a mixed bag of cross-off, onshore, and cross-shore, but it doesn’t matter because there’s no swell to work with.

The best of a bad lot might be Friday the 11th afternoon, with a 2ft S swell (6 seconds) and a clean offshore wind from the west. But it’s tiny. Or perhaps Monday the 21st, with a 2ft S swell and a 19 mph cross-offshore wind, but again, it’s just not enough.

Bottom line: There’s no standout session here. The only day with size (Thursday the 10th) is ruined by a screaming wind. The rest is a flat, disappointing stretch. If you’re desperate, the 11th and 21st offer the cleanest conditions, but you’ll be on a foamie living for the knee-high set. Sorry, folks, but this one’s a miss.

Rusty.

Read more