Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let's get real about what's going on with the local surf. This is Rusty, and I'm looking at the next couple of weeks here on the Gulf, and I gotta tell you, it's a pretty grim outlook for paddle surfing.

Straight up, the entire 16-day window is a write-off for any decent waves. We've got a massive gap from start to finish with no real surf on offer. The first time we even get a sniff of something that could be called "surfable" isn't until Monday, the 20th of July. That's more than a week and a half of flat, choppy, or just plain ugly conditions. Before that, every session is flagged as "poor surf conditions". We're looking at tiny, weak swell with combined energy struggling to get past 50 (49 on Saturday the 11th is the high point, and that's still weak). The swell direction is mostly from the SSE or SE, which is fine for Galveston, but the heights are barely a ripple, mostly between 0.3 ft and 3 ft.

Forget about any standouts, because there just aren't any. The only break we've got to talk about is Galveston. It's an inconsistent breakwater spot, exposed to the swell. The water temperature is running at 87°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – about average, really.

The winds are the real killer. For the first week, it's a constant barrage of onshore and cross-onshore breezes, often moderate to fresh, which is the last thing you want on small, weak waves. There's a brief moment on Monday afternoon, the 13th, when the wind goes glassy from the north, but the swell is a pathetic 2 ft at 6 seconds – it's clean but there's nothing to ride.

The energy is so weak (9 for the whole forecast period on Thursday morning the 9th) that even the kite surfers would be struggling to get much going. The setup is a beach and breakwater, so with the combo of tiny swell and strong cross-shore winds, it's more of a swimming day than a surfing day.

Then on Sunday the 19th, we get another glassy morning, with 2 ft swell. Again, clean, but tiny. Finally, on Monday morning, the 20th of July, we get a moment of "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" with a 2 ft swell, glassy wind, and the combined energy hitting 42. It's the best of the bunch, but "best" is a very relative term here. It's still a weak, short-period windswell (4 to 5 seconds) that offers no real push.

The rest of the second week looks equally poor, with onshore winds returning and the swell remaining tiny. There's nothing for experts, nothing for beginners. A blank run like this is pretty normal for the area during a flat summer spell. Forecasts can change, but for now, keep the boards in the garage.

Rusty.

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