Horseneck Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Honestly, the outlook for Horseneck Beach over the next couple of weeks is rough. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with next to nothing rideable. The data shows the first real chance of anything half-decent doesn’t pop up until Thursday, the 3rd of September, and even then, it’s a marginal call. That’s over a week of flat, choppy junk or clean but tiny waves. For a spot like this, a blank run of that length isn’t totally out of the ordinary, but it stings.

The Long Haul (Now to late August)

Forget about it. Swells are tiny, barely scraping 2 ft, and the period is short – we’re talking 3 to 9 seconds of weak, wind-affected slop. The combined energy is in the weak range (often under 100), so there’s just no push. Winds are mostly cross or cross-onshore from the SW, which chops up what little is there. There are a few glassy moments, like Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th of August in the mornings, but with swell heights at 1 ft to 2 ft, it’s a lake. Not worth paddling out.

A Glimmer of Hope (Early September)

We finally see a shift around Wednesday, the 2nd of September. The swell period starts to climb into the 12-to-15-second range, bringing in some proper groundswell energy. The combined energy on Wednesday the 2nd hits 62, and Thursday the 3rd pushes up to 109 (moderate energy). The swell direction is settling on SSE, which is close to the optimum SE direction for this break.

The standout here is Thursday afternoon, the 3rd of September. We’ve got 2 ft of swell from the SSE, with a 13-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, which will wrap in with more shape than the short-period junk we’ve seen. The wind whips around to a clean 12 mph offshore from the NNW, creating clean conditions. The water temp is around 72°F, about normal for this time of year. This is the one session that’s surfable, but the quality is “very ordinary.” It’s a beginner break, so 2 ft is fine, but don’t expect barrels.

The morning of Friday the 4th of September also has clean conditions with a 13-second SSE swell at 1 ft, and combined energy at 69. It’s smaller, but clean. Crowds at Horseneck can be a problem sometimes, but with this weak of a forecast, you might have it to yourself.

The Best of a Bad Bunch

If you’re desperate, the best on offer is Thursday afternoon, the 3rd of September. The offshore wind and long-period groundswell are the only positive signs in the 16-day window. It’s the only slot that breaks through the "poor" rating. The rest of the period is a write-off for paddle surfing. With these low waves and persistent cross-shore winds, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Rusty.

Read more