Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at this stretch ahead for Galveston (Galveston). I gotta be straight with you – it’s gonna be a tough one. The whole 16-day window is looking flat and messy, so don’t get your hopes up for any real rideable surf.

The forecast kicks off Tuesday afternoon, 18th August, but it’s not worth paddling out for. We’ve got a tiny 0.3ft swell from the southeast, period a weak 9 seconds, and the combined energy is barely a whisper at 11 – that’s all the energy we’ve got. Winds are a moderate onshore breeze from the south at 16 mph, so it’s blown out and sloppy. Water temp is sitting at 87°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

We roll into Wednesday the 19th and things don’t improve. Swell tries to bump up to 2ft on Wednesday morning, but it’s short-period 4-second junk from the south, with a cross-shore breeze that’s putting a chop on it. Energy stays weak in the 11 to 14 range. Wednesday afternoon is just more of the same – cross-onshore wind and choppy. This pattern just keeps repeating: Thursday the 20th brings a 2ft swell, 4-second period, and a gentle cross-onshore breeze. The energy is only 10 to 11. It’s poor surf, plain and simple.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are more of the same – tiny swell, short period, onshore winds. The energy does bump up to 22 on Saturday morning, but that’s still weak, and the swell is only 2ft from the south-southwest with a 4-second period. It’s not enough to get excited about.

Sunday the 23rd offers a glimmer – a light breeze from the west-southwest at 6 mph gives us a cross-shore, and the swell is 2ft from the south-southwest, period 5 seconds. Energy is 30, which is the highest we’ll see in this whole run. But it’s still a weak, short-period swell, and it’s inconsistent. The setup is a breakwater, and with this tiny swell, it’s rare that it breaks properly. This isn’t the day to pack the board.

Monday the 24th through Thursday the 27th is a blur of tiny, short-period swell and onshore or cross-shore winds. The energy rarely gets above 20. It’s all poor surf conditions. On Wednesday the 26th morning, we get a clean cross-offshore wind from the west at 12 mph, but the swell is still a pathetic 2ft at 5 seconds – clean, but nothing to ride.

Friday the 28th morning is a standout for the wrong reasons. We get a glassy, windless morning with the wind from the south-southeast at just 3 mph. The swell is 2ft, but it’s coming from the east-northeast with a 4-second period, so it’s weak and short. The energy is 17. It’s the cleanest the water will be, but there’s just no power.

From Saturday the 29th of August right through to Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell collapses completely. We’re looking at 0.3ft to 0.7ft swell, periods from 3 to 8 seconds, and energy dropping to 1 or 2. Winds are onshore or cross-onshore. It’s flat, flat, flat.

So, the bottom line: don’t bother. There’s no good surf on offer in this entire 16-day window. The breakwater doesn’t hold any swell, and the conditions are always poor. It’s just one of those blank runs that’s pretty normal for this area. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a total washout.

Rusty.

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