Jacks Hole Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, it’s Rusty here. Gotta be real with you: the surf forecast for this stretch is looking grim. We're talking a long stretch of flat, weak ocean for the next couple of weeks, and I ain't gonna lie to you about it. The wave machine is just switched off.

We're starting out at Jacks Hole, a reef break that needs a solid south in the water. The ocean’s at about 64.6°F, which is a couple of degrees warmer than it usually is this time of year, so that’s a small win if you're just going for a swim. But the wave energy is pitiful, coming in with a combined energy of just 11 on Tuesday, August 18th. We got a long-period south swell showing on the charts, but it’s not breaking at a ripple, a meager 0.3ft. Wind is offshore, which is nice, but there's nothing for it to groom.

From Wednesday, August 19th through Sunday the 23rd, it’s more of the same. Tiny scraps of swell, most under 0.6ft, with energy readings in the single digits. It's just flat, poor surf. There is a small bump on Thursday afternoon with a northeast swell pushing to 2.5ft, but with a period of just 5 seconds, it’s going to be a short-period, onshore mess. Not worth considering. That’s a full week of nothing.

Through the next week, from the 24th to the 27th, we see some pulses of energy but they're all short-period and weak. Even when the combined energy reaches into the 20s and 30s, the wave heights stay under 2.5ft. The winds are often cross-shore or even onshore, chopping up the surface. The water is still very unusual in that it's much warmer than normal for this time of year.

Then, on Friday, August 28th, we get a little blip on the radar. A more significant south-southeast swell pushes through, with the height hitting 4.5ft and the combined energy jumping to 122. That's the biggest surge of the period, but it's still a short-period, wind-blown swell. With strong cross-shore winds, it's going to be raw and lumpy. You'd need a boat and a death wish to enjoy that. It's a day for the experts, and even then, it looks like a fight.

After that tease, it drops back to a pathetic 1ft for the weekend of the 29th and 30th. The winds go offshore and glassy, which is a nice change, but there's no swell behind it. The energy drops right back down to single digits.

Then, something strange happens. From Sunday, August 31st, the swell data turns to a dash – a big fat zero. The ocean just gives up. This flat spell runs through September 1st and 2nd. A strong high-pressure system brings in clean, howling offshore winds, but it just blows over a glassy, flat ocean. There's nothing to ride.

The strongest wind looks like on Tuesday, September 1st, with a strong breeze, but it's over flat water. That’s more for the wind sports crew; we might see some kites out, but no surfboards.

So, the bottom line is, there are simply no good surf options in this 16-day window. It’s a rare blank run for a spot that's normally fairly consistent, so I wouldn't hold your breath for a change. Forecasts can shift, though. A week is a long time in the surf game. Keep an eye on that south swell window, because the energy is out there somewhere, it just isn't reaching us. I'll be watching.

Stay tuned.

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