Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's sort this out. I've chewed through the numbers for Harlyn over the next couple of weeks, and I won't sugarcoat it – it's a tough stretch. You're gonna need some patience.

Right off the bat, the wind and swell just aren't on speaking terms. The water temp is sitting at 66°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for late August, but that's where the good news ends. We are looking at a serious dry spell.

From Wednesday morning, August 26th, all the way through to Friday, September 4th, it's basically a no-go. That's a solid 10-day gap with nothing worth paddling out for. There's some energy in the water, sure, like on Saturday the 29th when the combined energy hits 419 (moderate) in the morning and rockets up to 921 by the afternoon with waves hitting 8ft. But the wind is howling at 31 mph – a near gale from the west-southwest. It's cross-offshore, so it's clean, but that wind strength is just too much for a sheltered spot like Harlyn. Anything over 5ft starts getting big for beginners, and that 8ft is expert-only territory, but even then, you'd be fighting the wind more than the wave. It's a classic case of lots of water, no quality.

Now, mark your calendar for Saturday, September 5th. The morning shows a clean 5ft swell from the west, and the period jumps to 10 seconds. That's a proper groundswell, meaning better shape and more push, even though the energy reading is only 421 (moderate). The wind is light, just a light breeze from the west, leaving a slight cross-shore ripple. This is the standout. It's not a perfect day, but after 10 days of nothing, this is the first real chance for a surfable wave. The afternoon is similar, just a touch smaller.

Sunday, September 6th morning is another one to keep an eye on. We get a clean 3ft swell from the west with that same nice long 10-second period, and the wind swings to a gentle offshore from the south-southwest. Gentle offshore and clean – that's pure gold for a spot like Harlyn. The energy is low at 191, so it's not powerful, but it's a proper window for a beginner or anyone wanting a quiet, clean paddle.

After that, we slide back into mediocrity. Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th look messy with onshore winds. The very end of the run, around Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th, shows some small clean waves with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is tiny – 2ft at best, with very weak energy readings (55 and 27). Hardly worth the effort.

So here's the real talk: there's a big gap of rubbish, then one or two mornings to get excited about. The best on offer is Saturday, September 5th morning. It's not a bomb, but it's the cleanest, most consistent-looking window in the whole outlook. Sunday, September 6th morning is a solid backup for a small, clean session.

-Rusty

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