Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening in Galveston.

Look, I’m gonna be straight with you: the next 16 days are a tough stretch for surfers. The first hint of anything remotely rideable is Tuesday afternoon, August 11th, but even then it’s a struggle. The swell is tiny, at just 2 ft from the SSE, with a short, weak period of 4 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 15 — that’s basically flat. On top of that, the wind is blowing onshore from the S at 12 mph, making a mess of things. The water’s warm, sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that doesn’t help the surf.

The pattern just doesn’t improve. Day after day, we’re stuck with weak, wind-affected slop. The swell height barely creeps above 3 ft, only reaching that on Friday afternoon, August 14th, but with a period of just 6 seconds and onshore wind, it’s just bumpy, closed-out junk. The best wind we see in the whole run is a few brief windows of clean conditions, like Sunday morning, August 16th, with a light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is only 2 ft.

There is a standout moment, but it’s a long way off. On Sunday, August 23rd, we get a morning of glassy conditions with zero wind, but the swell is a pathetic 0.3 ft from the SE. The combined energy is just 7. It’s flat, but it’s pretty. Then Monday, August 24th, morning is glassy again with a tiny 1 ft SSE swell. For a prone paddle surfer, there’s nothing here that’s worth suiting up for. This setup looks far more interesting for a kite surfer than anyone on a foamie or a shortboard.

The breakwater here is an inconsistent spot, and this run is a perfect example of why. The crowd factor is a "sometimes" concern, but with no surf, there won’t be anyone out. The overall picture is bleak: the entire 16-day window is a write-off for any quality surf. We’ve got a stretch of over two weeks with zero recommendations. It’s a blank run, and for this area, that’s not abnormal.

Rusty.

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