Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. To be honest, looking at the whole 16-day window for Galveston, it’s a pretty grim run. There’s just nothing on offer that’s going to get you excited. The forecast shows a real flat spell, with only a tiny bump trying to build towards the very end of the second week, but even that’s looking messy.

We start off on Thursday, 23rd July, with barely a ripple. The swell is a pathetic 1 ft from the SSW, with a weak 5-second period. The energy is next to nothing (7), and a moderate breeze from the NNE is making it cross-off, which is at least clean, but there’s no wave to ride. The water temp is sitting at 87°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least a paddle won’t be cold, but that’s about the only positive.

That flatness just drags on and on. We go through Friday, the weekend, and all of the following week with tiny swell heights, mostly under 2 ft, and short periods of 4 to 6 seconds. The combined energy stays in the low teens or single digits—all weak stuff. The wind is a constant problem too, shifting between onshore and cross-onshore from the SSE or S, keeping the surface choppy and messy. There’s a brief moment on the 26th with a gentle cross-shore, but the swell is still only 2 ft at 5 seconds. It’s just not worth suiting up for.

The only real change comes on Sunday, 2nd August. The swell finally bumps up a bit, hitting 4 ft from the SSW with a 6-second period, and the energy climbs to 111 (moderate). That’s the biggest wave of the whole forecast. But before you get too keen, the wind is going to be a killer. It’s a moderate cross-shore in the morning, but by the afternoon it’s a strong breeze at 25 mph, blowing cross-onshore and making it a complete mess. That setup is a bit more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle guys.

After that, the swell drops back down again for the rest of the run into the first week of August. The swell directions are mostly from the S or SSW, and the wind just keeps coming from the S and SW, keeping it onshore or cross-onshore. You’ll find a few mornings with a little more size, like 3 ft on the 1st and 3rd, but the wind is still cross or cross-onshore. It’s all poor surf conditions, with ratings of zero across the board.

The bottom line, mates, is that Galveston is in a deep lull. There’s no standout session to even point at. The lack of any consistent swell, combined with the persistent onshore winds, means you’re better off leaving the board in the garage for this 16-day stretch. It’s a blank run, and for this area, that’s just how it goes sometimes. Forecasts can always change, but right now, there’s nothing to write home about.

Rusty.

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