Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cooking for Fourth Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a pretty solid run of swell coming in, but the wind is going to be the main character for a lot of this period. The water temp is sitting at 62°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The week starts slow. Wednesday afternoon has a chunky 8ft SSW swell, but that 30 km/h easterly is going to ruin it, making for a lumpy cross-chop. Not worth paddling out for. Thursday morning cleans up a bit with a cross-offshore breeze, dropping the swell to a cleaner 6ft, but it's still just a marginal session. The real glimmer in the first week is Friday morning, September 11th. The swell drops to a manageable 5ft from the SSW, but that 15 km/h NE cross-offshore wind is a dream. The period is a solid 16 seconds, giving it some real push. The combined energy is moderate (1305), and the forecast is calling for very good surf conditions. This is the pick of the first week, without a doubt. It’s a reasonably consistent spot, so you won't be completely alone, but it should be well worth the paddle.

The weekend gets messy. Saturday morning looks clean with a strong WNW wind, but that cross-offshore stuff is a bit tricky. Sunday is a write-off with onshore winds. Then Monday and Tuesday of the second week (14th and 15th) see a big pulse of energy, with swell heights pushing 8ft to 10ft and combined energy readings in the 2000-3000 range (strong), but it's all cross-onshore and choppy. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one, if you ask me.

The real standout of the entire forecast, however, is a bit further out. Sunday afternoon, September 20th, is the one to circle on your calendar. The swell is a modest 4ft from the SW with a 13-second period, but the wind is glassy. Dead flat. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and I’m not arguing. The combined energy is moderate (831), but when it's glassy, quality trumps size. The water will be like a mirror. This is the hidden gem of the outlook.

The final week sees another big swell pulse around the 21st and 22nd, with monster energy values (3678 and 4994), but the wind is a mess again. That 10ft swell on the 22nd afternoon with onshore wind is a beast for experts only, and even then, it’ll be a battle. The 23rd and 24th look like a total washout with strong winds and rain.

So, to wrap it up: the best surf is Friday morning, September 11th for a solid, clean, long-period swell, and the absolute gem is the glassy session on Sunday afternoon, September 20th. Get on it.

Rusty.

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