Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at Harlyn. This is a spot that’s usually pretty sheltered, so it takes a decent push from the west to get it going. Looking at the next 16 days, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a lot of wind and poor conditions in the early part of the outlook, but there are a couple of windows that could be worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so no need for the thickest rubber just yet.

The first week is pretty grim. Tuesday afternoon is cloudy with a cross-off breeze from the WSW at 16 mph, and a weak 3 ft W swell at 9 seconds. The combined energy is only 162 – pretty weak – and it’s just poor surf. Wednesday and Thursday don’t get any better, with stronger winds, shorter period swells, and that “poor surf conditions” tag sticking around. The energy does pick up a bit on Thursday afternoon to 282, but it’s still messy. Friday is a write-off with onshore winds and choppy water.

The first real sign of life comes on Saturday, the 5th. The morning goes glassy with a light WNW breeze at 3 mph, and that 4 ft W swell has a better period of 10 seconds, giving us a combined energy of 306. The report says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so it’s not a standout, but it’s the first clean-looking session. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-on breeze, so the morning is the pick of that day.

Sunday, the 6th, drops right off with tiny 2 ft swell and weak energy, so that’s a day to stay on the beach.

Now, here’s the one to circle. Monday, the 7th of September is the standout. The morning is looking clean with a WSW breeze at 9 mph, swinging cross-off. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the west with a 13-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy reads 1452, which is very strong. This is a serious pulse of swell. The water will be powerful, and those long-period lines will wrap in nicely. Harlyn will handle this well, but keep in mind that long period swell can make a beach break a bit straight, but here it should be fine. The report says “expect very good surf conditions,” so this is your best bet. The afternoon still has a good 7 ft swell at 12 seconds, but the wind goes cross-shore, so the morning session is the winner.

After that, the wind gets ugly again. Tuesday, the 8th, has strong SW winds hitting 25 mph, making it a mess. Wednesday, the 9th, is a near gale. That’s a solid gap of poor conditions.

The next window of interest is Tuesday, the 15th of September. The morning is clean with a WSW cross-off breeze at 9 mph. The swell is 6 ft from the west at 9 seconds, with a combined energy of 575 – moderate to strong. The report says “expect good surf conditions,” so it’s a solid session. The afternoon gets a bigger 7 ft swell at 12 seconds, with energy jumping to 1342, but the wind picks up a bit. It’s still clean, but that morning might be a touch more user-friendly. This is a strong second option.

Wednesday, the 16th, the final day of the outlook, is also worth a mention. A light SW breeze at 6 mph, cross-off, with a 6 ft west swell at 11 seconds. Energy is 757, and it’s labeled as “good surf conditions.” A nice way to end the run.

So, the bottom line: the first week is mostly a bust. The absolute best session is the morning of Monday, the 7th. The second best is the morning of Tuesday, the 15th. Keep an eye on the wind, because when it’s good here, it’s really good.

Rusty.

Read more