Jacks Hole Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve had a good look at what’s coming up for Jacks Hole, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough run. We’ve got a 16-day window, and right from the start, things look bleak.

Overall Pattern

This is one of those stretches where the ocean just isn’t playing ball for us. For the first week or so, the energy is basically non-existent. We’re looking at days on end where the swell is so tiny, it’s barely registering. The combined swell energy is a paltry 7, just to give you an idea. It’s a real bummer.

The First Gap

We kick off on Monday, the 14th of September, with a 1ft southerly swell but the wind is a messy cross-off. That same tiny bump hangs around for Tuesday, offering a 1ft southerly swell. The wind is offshore on Tuesday morning, which is nice, but with that little energy (10), you’ll be bobbing around more than you’re surfing. Honestly, the surf is poor and the scores reflect it – zero out of ten. This flat spell drags on. Wednesday and Thursday are basically flat, and we get a little 0.3ft pulse on Friday and Saturday but it’s just not enough to do anything with. The combined energy remains in the single digits (1 to 5). We do get a glassy moment on Sunday the 20th, but the swell is still only 0.3ft with a long period of 14 seconds. That long period is typical of a groundswell, which for a reef setup like Jacks Hole could be okay, but there’s just no height to work with.

The Mid-Range Shift

Things look like they might perk up a touch around Wednesday the 23rd with a 2ft southerly, but it’s an onshore wind and the period is a shocking 3 seconds – that’s pure wind chop. Not worth paddling out for. On the 24th, we get a 2ft southerly swell with a bit more energy (25) but the wind is light cross-shore. Still poor.

The Potential Late Standout (24-27 September)

Alright, here’s where it gets interesting, but you have to wait for it. Towards the end of the month, around Saturday the 26th, we finally see some proper swell. We’re looking at a 4ft southerly swell on Saturday morning. This is the first time the combined energy cracks into the double digits at 82. It’s still a bit lumpy with a cross-wind, so not ideal.

The real standout, at least in terms of size, is Sunday the 27th of September. The morning brings a 5ft southerly swell with a combined energy of 212 – finally some moderate wave energy. The period is a short 6 seconds on that main swell, but it’s a legit chest-to-head high day for Jacks Hole. The wind is cross-shore though, so it won’t be clean perfection. The afternoon drops back to 2ft but the period jumps to 12 seconds, which would be a much cleaner, more powerful wave, if the size holds. The energy drops to 99. This is the best window we’ve got, but it’s more of a “promising but uncertain” long-range call.

Monday the 28th looks cleaner with a light cross-off wind, but the swell is back down to 1ft.

Summary

Look, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the tiny, clean windows on the 19th (0.3ft, 16 sec period) or the 20th (glassy, 0.3ft) are as good as it gets for the first week, but you’re barely surfing. The only window that offers any real power is Sunday the 27th, with the 5ft southerly swell. The cross-wind will keep it from being pristine, but for size, that’s your pick. Everything before that is a flat spell, and after that, the energy drops off again. It’s a waiting game.

– Rusty

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