Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at the only spot firing in the window, Irmas/Leftpoint.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – this 16-day stretch is a tough one for Irmas/Leftpoint. We're looking at a blank run for the most part, with nothing but poor surf conditions dominating the forecast. There's a glimmer of something by the start of September, but even then, it's marginal at best. The water temperature is sitting at 81°F with a 0.5°F anomaly, so it's pretty much average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

The pattern kicks off on Thursday the 27th of August. We get a 4ft south swell rolling in with a long 17-second period, but it's all undone by a fresh 22 mph cross-shore wind from the ENE. The wave energy is moderate at 1098, but the conditions are lumpy and poor. Not a single wave worth paddling for. This carries right through the week – the swell drops, the wind stays strong and cross, and the quality never improves.

We hit the 29th of August and the swell direction swings to the ENE, but the period drops to a short 6-7 seconds and the wind cranks up to 25 mph. The swell height bumps up to 7ft, but with that short period and strong cross-onshore wind, it's a messy, blown-out affair. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The 1st of September finally sees a slight improvement. The swell is still ENE, 7ft with an 8-second period, and the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-shore. The energy is strong at 1001, but it's only a marginal call – the surf is still lumpy and questionable. It's not a standout, but it's the best we've seen. The afternoon isn't any better.

The 2nd of September brings a brief shift – a 3ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore at 16 mph and there are rain showers. The energy is moderate at 972, but the conditions are choppy and poor. It's a tease of a better swell direction, but the wind kills it.

The rest of the first week and into the second week is more of the same. The swell sticks around 6ft to 8ft from the ENE, with periods creeping up to 11 seconds by the 4th of September. The wave energy gets strong, hitting 1121 on the afternoon of the 4th, and even 1807 on the 5th of September. But the wind is relentless – a fresh to strong 19-28 mph cross-shore, keeping everything lumpy and messy. The 7th of September has a 8ft swell with 11-second period and 1768 energy, but the wind is a strong 25-28 mph, making it a no-go for anyone but the most dedicated, and even then, it's messy.

The 8th of September is a write-off. A near gale at 31 mph from the ENE with crossing waves. The swell is 7ft with a 10-second period, but with that wind, it's just a washing machine. The 9th and 10th are similar – strong winds, messy cross-onshore conditions, and poor surf. The 11th of September sees a shift to a southerly wind, but it's onshore at 31 mph with risk of thunderstorms, and the swell drops to 5ft. It's a rough end to the outlook.

The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of the 1st of September. It's the only time the score hits a 1, and even then, it's marginal. The 7ft ENE swell with 8-second period and fresh cross-shore wind is the best of a bad bunch. The 4th of September afternoon also gets a 1, with a 7ft ENE swell, a longer 11-second period, and strong energy at 1121, but again, the wind is a fresh cross-shore. It's not clean, but it's the most promising.

For a spot that's fairly consistent and exposed to the swell, this is a poor run. But it's a reef break, so when it does get clean, it could be good. The forecasts can change, so don't give up hope entirely. But right now, I'd say keep the board in the car and wait for a better day.

Rusty.

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