Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Irmas/Leftpoint over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the outlook is a tough one for the next week and a half. The water temp is sitting right about 81°F which is normal for the time of year, so that’s one thing that feels good, but the wind and wave conditions are just not cooperating. There’s a bunch of days where the swell is standing up at 7ft to 8ft, which is a decent size, but it’s all coming in from the ENE with a period around 12 to 13 seconds – that’s a moderate groundswell, but it’s being hammered by fresh cross or cross-onshore winds. That’s creating lumpy, choppy conditions that are really hard to enjoy. The combined wave energy in the first few days is high, sitting around 2400 to 2500, so there’s power in the water, but the wind is just ruining the shape.

Saturday morning the 5th is the first day on offer, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph, making it a lumpy, messy affair. The swell is 7ft from the ENE, but it’s not clean. Sunday and Monday the 6th and 7th are even worse – cross-onshore wind and poor surf conditions, with the swell holding around 8ft to 8ft. The best bet in this first week is a tough call, but if I had to pick one, it’d be Tuesday afternoon the 8th – the swell drops to 6ft and the wind eases a bit, but it’s still cross-onshore, so expect a chop.

There’s a big gap of poor surf from the 6th all the way through to the 15th. The wind is nearly always a problem, coming from the ENE or NE, and the swell period drops to short 7 to 8 seconds on some days, meaning weak, junky waves. The combined energy falls to 200-400 range, which is weak. This is a period where the forecast looks like a bust for regular surfing.

Now, there is a flicker of hope late in the window. On the 16th of September (Wednesday), the swell direction swings to the SSW, and the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell. The size is only 3ft, so it’s small, but the combined energy is 951, which is moderate. The wind is still a fresh cross-shore, so it’s not perfect, but that long period can make for some clean lines at a reef break like Irmas if the wind calms. The 18th of September (Friday) morning looks similar, with a 4ft SSW swell, 18-second period, and 1183 combined energy, but the wind is still cross. The 19th and 20th also have marginal SSW swells with periods of 16 and 15 seconds, but the wind stays cross. These are the only real standouts, and they’re promising but not guaranteed – it’s a long-range call, so don’t get your hopes too high.

The best on offer is likely the 18th of September (Friday) morning – the swell is small at 4ft, but the long period from the SSW is the kind of wave that can bend around a reef and give you a clean, long ride if the wind drops. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the closest thing to a decent session in this 16-day stretch.

For beginners, the swell is mostly under 5ft after the first few days, so it’s not too big, but the wind is messy. Experts might find something fun on the 18th if the wind plays ball.

Rusty.

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