Indian River (Southside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, taking a look at the 16-day forecast for our local stretch.

Honestly, I gotta call it like I see it: this run looks pretty bleak for paddle surfing. We’re staring down a long stretch of weak, small, and choppy conditions. The first real surf doesn't show up until Monday, August 3rd, and even that’s a bit of a stretch to call it a "session." Before that, Saturday and Sunday are a write-off with tiny waves under 3 feet and messy cross-shore winds.

Monday morning, August 3rd, the swell finally bumps up to 5 feet from the SSE, but it's short-period junk at 8 seconds and the wind is cross-off, which at least cleans it up. The real energy doesn't hit until Monday afternoon when the swell jumps to 7 feet from the S with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a solid 705 (moderate wave energy), which means there’s some push. But that’s a lot of water for a beach/jetty break like Indian River (Southside), and with a 7-foot swell, this is strictly for the advanced crew. Beginners would be in over their heads. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that Monday spike, the surf just fades away again. The rest of the first week and into the second week is a graveyard of 2 to 3-foot slop with onshore or cross-shore winds. There’s a tiny flicker of life on Saturday, August 15th, with a 5-foot swell from the ENE and a combined energy of 175 (weak to moderate), but it’s onshore wind and the period is a weak 6 seconds. The following Sunday, August 16th, has a similar 4-foot ENE swell, but the wind is cross-shore, which will leave it chopped up.

So, the one and only stand-out – and I use that term loosely – is Monday afternoon, August 3rd, at Indian River (Southside). The swell is a decent 7 feet, and the cross-off wind from the SW will keep the faces clean. But it’s a beach/jetty setup, so long-period groundswell this is not; it’s short-period windswell. It’s the only window all forecast where the energy is worthwhile, and even then, it’s only for the experienced surfers who can handle a punchy, 6-foot-plus closeout.

Other than that, with the wind and small swell, this setup honestly looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for most of the period. The forecast can always change, but as it stands, we’re looking at a lot of flat, blown-out days.

Rusty.

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