Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me tell you straight up, it’s a grim stretch ahead for the Galveston area. We’ve got a 16-day window stretching from August 2nd all the way through to August 17th, and I’m not seeing a single day that’s going to get the heart pumping. We’re looking at a long, dry gap with no real surf to speak of.

The whole period is plagued by tiny, weak swell. We’re talking wave heights barely scraping 3 ft, and the period is consistently short, mostly 4 to 6 seconds. That’s pure windswell, lacking any punch. The combined energy of all swells directed here is pitiful, never even cracking triple digits (max 61). The water’s a balmy 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only notable thing happening.

The wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, with a few fleeting moments of cross-off or clean conditions. August 3rd Monday morning shows a glimmer with a light W cross-off, but the swell is still just 1 ft from the SSW with a 5-second period. That’s a flat, clean lake, not a wave. August 17th Monday morning is similar – a clean 1.0 ft from the SE with a 6-second period, but again, it’s nothing to ride.

The breakwater here is inconsistent at the best of times, and it needs a decent SE swell to really work. The optimum swell is from the SE, but what we’re getting is mostly S and SSE junk. The swell size never gets over 3 ft, so it’s never too big, but it’s so small and weak that it’s not worth paddling out for. With this kind of onshore wind and piddly little waves, it’s honestly shaping up more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, no standouts, no best bets. It’s a blank run from the 2nd right through to the 17th. A 16-day stretch of nothing. This is more normal for the area, so don’t hold your breath. Forecasts can change, but this one’s looking stubborn.

Rusty.

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