Hilton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The data for our local patch is a bit of a tough one, I gotta be honest. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s honestly pretty quiet. There’s not a single standout session in the whole run, and the forecast is constantly calling it "poor surf conditions." We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, short-period windswell, and the wind is rarely on our side.

The Pattern

The whole period is dominated by a tiny, inconsistent swell from the WNW. The swell height is mostly below 3 ft, and the period is a short 6 to 8 seconds – that’s just windswell, no real punch to it. The combined energy for the entire run is very low, mostly in the double digits, with a few weak three-digit values later in the second week. The only option we have is Hilton, a reef and jetty setup that’s rated for beginners but is inconsistent. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 85°.

Week One (August 7th – 13th)

Honestly, it’s a flat spell. The first recommendation kicks off Friday afternoon, August 7th, with a 2 ft WNW swell, but it’s got a 6-second period and the wind is a moderate onshore breeze at 12 mph. That’s just messy. The whole first week is a struggle. Saturday the 8th is a washout, Sunday the 9th is cross-onshore and choppy. We get a slight improvement on Monday the 10th morning with a light cross-shore breeze, but the swell is still only 2 ft with a 6-second period. The energy is tiny (23). By Tuesday the 11th, the swell drops to 1 ft. It’s a real struggle for any kind of rideable wave. The wind stays mostly cross-onshore or onshore, making it look more like a day for a paddle board than a surfboard.

The Gap

There’s a flat, uninspiring run from about the 11th through the 14th. A few mornings offer glassy conditions, like Friday the 14th morning, but the swell is a pathetic 1 ft with 6-second period. You’d be bobbing around more than surfing.

Week Two (August 14th – 22nd)

The second week is a little more active, but it’s still not good. The swell picks up slightly from the 17th onwards, with a 3 ft to 3 ft swell from the WNW, and the energy finally climbs into three digits (114 on the 18th morning). But the wind is still the problem. It’s mostly onshore or cross-onshore, killing any chance of clean waves. The period stays short (7 seconds). The 19th morning has a light cross-shore breeze, but the swell is back down to 2 ft. The 20th morning is glassy but the swell is only 2 ft. The 21st brings a 16 mph cross-onshore wind, which is just a mess.

The Bottom Line

There is no standout in this entire forecast. The only break we have is Hilton, and it’s just not firing. The waves are too small, too short-period, and the wind is almost always wrong. For a beginner, the tiny size might be manageable, but the chop and onshore wind will make it frustrating. The setup is a reef/jetty, so a long period swell would be a bonus, but we’re not getting that. For anyone with a kite, this wind and small swell is a better bet than trying to paddle. I’m sorry, folks, but it’s a blank run. We’ll have to wait for the next system.

Rusty.

Read more