Indian River (Northside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a 16-day outlook for Indian River (Northside), and I’ll be honest with you – it’s a pretty quiet stretch. The forecast is showing a real lack of any decent swell, and the wind doesn’t do us many favours either. There’s a long gap of days with nothing worth paddling out for, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

The water temperature is sitting at a warm 78°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – not a bad thing if you’re just floating around, but it’s not making the waves any better.

The first real chance to even think about a surf comes on Tuesday, July 21st. The morning shows a weak 4 ft swell from the SSE with a short, windswell period of 5 seconds. The combined energy is a low 67, so it’s weak. The wind is a cross-offshore from the SSW, which will clean it up a bit, but frankly, the wave quality is poor. It’s the best of a bad bunch so far, but that’s not saying much. The afternoon gets a bit more size with a 5 ft S swell (period 6s, energy 136), but the wind swings to a lumpy cross-shore with a risk of t-storms. Not a session to write home about.

Wednesday, July 22nd, is the only time in the first week that might get a mention. The morning offers a 5 ft S swell with a period of 8 seconds – still short period, but the energy climbs to 277 (moderate). The cross-offshore SW wind keeps it clean. The afternoon holds similar energy at 270. It’s still rated as poor to marginal, but if you’re desperate, this is the closest you’ll get to a surfable wave all week. The break is a beach/jetty setup, so it’s exposed, but it’s also a beginner-friendly spot. For the more experienced crowd, this small, short-period stuff won’t cut it.

After that, it’s another long stretch of nothing. From July 23rd right through to August 1st, the swell stays tiny – mostly under 3 ft – with onshore or cross-shore winds and combined energy readings that are almost all in the double digits. The wind is often a problem, either cross-on or making it choppy. There’s a morning on July 28th with a 2 ft swell and a light offshore wind from the W, but the energy is only 55 and the waves are described as surfable but very ordinary. Not worth getting excited about.

The next slight blip comes on August 2nd, a Sunday, with a morning showing a 4 ft S swell (period 6s, energy 83) and a clean, light offshore wind from the W. Again, it’s only rated as “surfable but very ordinary.” The afternoon picks up to 5 ft from the S with 134 energy, but the wind goes light and variable, and the risk of storms returns. The pattern is clear: weak, short-period windswell and messy conditions.

The only other half-decent window is on August 4th, a Tuesday morning, with a clean 2 ft SSE swell and a light offshore WNW wind. Energy is a low 42. It’s surfable, but it’s not a standout.

So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, if you had to pick one session, it would be the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd. The 5 ft swell from the S, with moderate energy (277) and clean cross-offshore wind, is the most size you’ll see, and the clean conditions make it the most likely to produce a few rideable waves. But even then, it’s only for beginners or those just wanting to get wet. The short period (8s) means the waves will be a bit soft and crumbly.

For the rest of the period, the swell is just too small, the period too short, and the wind too often onshore or cross-shore. It’s a flat spell, folks. When the surf is this poor and the wind is strong, Indian River (Northside) looks more like a spot for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

That’s the long and short of it. I’ll be keeping an eye on it, but for now, don’t rush to get your wetsuit on.

Rusty.

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