Hilton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me be straight with you – it’s a tough run ahead for Hilton. We’ve got a solid 16-day window on the cards, but to be honest, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first record of surf kicks off on Friday, July 31st, but it’s a real struggle from the get-go.

Overall Pattern

The whole period is plagued by tiny, weak swell and constant cross-onshore winds that just won’t give us a break. The swell is small, the period is short, and the energy is pathetic. Straight away, on Friday morning the 31st, Hilton is seeing a tiny 3ft swell from the WNW, but it’s wrapping in at a weak 8 seconds. The combined energy is a measly (80), and with a cross-on breeze from the WSW, it’s just choppy. The water is sitting at 84°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

We roll through the first weekend, Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd, and it’s more of the same – tiny, weak swell and choppy conditions. The energy drops right off, hitting a low of (29) on Sunday morning. There’s a gap of several days here where the surf is just not worth a mention. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are flat and messy.

The Mid-Week Sliver

There is a brief moment on Wednesday morning, August 5th, that’s about as good as it gets. The wind goes glassy from the west, and the swell is a tiny 2ft from the NW at 7 seconds (44 energy). It’s small, but it will be clean. It’s the only window of truly glassy conditions in the whole stretch, but the swell is so weak it’s barely a ride. The afternoon spoils it again with a moderate onshore breeze.

The Second Week

After that, the second week is a total write-off. The swell continues to shrink, with heights dropping to 1ft and even 1.0ft, with periods dropping to 5 or 6 seconds. The energy is in the single digits or low teens through most of the week. By Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th, we’re looking at swells of 1ft to 2ft with glassy conditions in the mornings, but the energy is so low (12 energy on Tuesday morning) that it’s basically a flat lake. The period is short, so there’s no push.

The Verdict

Honestly, the only thing that saves this from being a total blank is that Wednesday morning, August 5th. It’s a standout purely because it’s the only time the wind cooperates, with glassy conditions. But the swell is tiny. For the rest of the run, the swell is too small, the period is too short, and the wind is onshore. It’s a tough period to be a surfer here. The water is a touch warmer than average, but that’s not much comfort.

Stay patient, Rusty.

Read more