Galveston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for our local stretch is a tough one. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s almost entirely flat, and the bits that aren’t flat are messy. The honest truth is, there’s nothing to get excited about, and I’d be wasting your time pretending otherwise.

Right off the bat, the first record we have is for Friday, July 31st, and straight away it’s a poor surf situation. The wave height is a measly 1 ft from the south, with a period of only 5 seconds – that’s pure wind chop, not a wave you can ride. The wind is a cross-onshore breeze at 12 mph, making it choppy and messy. The combined energy of all swells is a weak 9. The water temp is a balmy 87°F, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only highlight.

The whole first week is a write-off. On Saturday, August 1st, we get a bit more height at 3 ft, but the wind swings to a fresh cross-onshore at 22 mph, making it lumpy and ugly. The period is still a pathetic 4 seconds. There’s a brief moment on Sunday morning, August 2nd, where the wind turns cross-offshore at 12 mph, offering a clean surface, but with only 2 ft of weak, short-period swell (5 seconds), it’s still not worth the paddle out. The energy is low to moderate, hitting 33 on the 4th, but it’s all windswell.

This pattern just repeats. Monday the 3rd through to the end of the first week is the same story: small, weak swell from the south, between 1 ft and 2 ft, with periods of 4 to 6 seconds. The wind is either onshore, cross-onshore, or straight on, making conditions poor. The combined energy barely breaks 20 most of the time. This is a full seven days of nothing.

Moving into the second week, it doesn’t improve. From Monday, August 10th, all the way through to Saturday, August 15th, it’s the same flat, wind-affected mess. Swell heights are stuck between 1 ft and 2 ft, periods are 4 to 5 seconds, and the wind is relentless from the south and southeast, 9 to 15 mph, blowing onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy values are weak, sitting in the teens and low twenties.

The only break we have on the menu is Galveston, a breakwater setup. It’s rated as beginner, but it’s inconsistent, and with the swell this small and weak, it’s not breaking with any quality. The optimum swell direction is from the southeast, and while the swell is coming from the south, it’s not enough to do anything with. The crowds are "sometimes" an issue, but honestly, with no surf, there won’t be anyone out.

There are no standouts. There is nothing to recommend. The entire 16-day forecast is a gap. It’s a blank run of poor surf conditions. For an area like this, it’s not unusual to have stretches like this. Forecasts can change, but right now, for the next two weeks, leave your board in the car. If you’re desperate, the cleanest you’ll see is that Sunday morning, August 2nd, with a clean surface, but it’s still barely a ripple. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the consistent onshore wind, but even then, the swell is tiny.

Rusty.

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