Jarosite Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s talk.

The ocean’s been saving up its energy, and we’ve got a proper run of surf heading our way. It starts a bit small, but the consistency is there from the get-go, and we’re looking at a solid window of clean, powerful groundswell. The main event looks like it’s going to be early next week, with some serious size and quality. Get ready.

Thursday afternoon kicks things off with a clean, workable 2ft of SSW swell, period around 11 seconds. It’s not much, but the cross-off breeze keeps it tidy, and it’s a good sign of things to come. The water’s at 56°F, which is right around average for this time of year, so you won't need the thickest suit just yet.

Friday sees the swell start to build. The morning pushes up to 3ft with a long 18-second period, and a cross-off breeze keeps it clean. The afternoon gets a bit more size, 4ft, but the wind swings cross and it gets a little rippled. Not bad, but the morning is definitely the cleaner session.

The weekend offers up more of the same. Saturday morning has 4ft of clean surf with that cross-off breeze, a solid option. The afternoon gets a little messy with a cross-on wind. Sunday is a step up. The morning delivers 5ft, clean and glassy, with a light cross-off wind – that’s a nice one. The afternoon jumps to 5ft but the onshore breeze chops it up.

Then we hit the first real standout.

Monday the 31st of August into the start of September is where things get serious. The swell is holding around 5ft with a 15-second period, and the energy is really starting to pump. The wind is offshore on Monday morning, and Monday afternoon is glassy with the swell pushing 5ft. This is the best quality we’ve seen so far, pure and powerful. The energy reading is at 1112 and 1263, moving into strong territory.

Tuesday the 1st of September gets a bit tricky. The swell is still there, but the wind howls from the NNW at 30 km/h, which makes things a bit testing despite the clean look. The afternoon is manageable with an offshore wind, but the energy isn’t as focused.

The following days, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, keep the swell in the 4ft to 5ft range, and the wind stays mostly offshore or cross-off. It’s all rideable, but nothing jumps out until Friday.

Then we get to the big one.

The 5th of September, Saturday, is looking like the pick of the entire forecast. The swell jumps up to 6ft in the morning and then builds to a solid 7ft by the afternoon. The period is a consistent 14 seconds, and the energy readings are massive, 1218 and 1728, showing you just how much power is in the water. The wind is offshore in the morning and cross-off in the afternoon, keeping the face clean. This is a strong, expert-level session. With 7ft, this is not one for the beginners, and you’ll want your wits about you.

Sunday the 6th is a bit of a letdown after that. The swell backs off slightly to 5ft, and the wind, while still cross-off, is from a different direction, and the energy drops off.

The week after that is a mixed bag. The 7th of September, Monday, turns ugly. The swell is still 7ft, but the wind whips up from the SW at 40 km/h and it’s all cross-shore chop. Forget it, that’s a mess. The following days see the bottom fall out. The swell drops, the periods shorten, and the energy just fades away. It looks like we go quiet for a few days, with only small, weak, and wind-affected waves on offer.

But as we look further out, things get promising again. The 10th of September, Thursday, shows another strong pulse of SSW swell, hitting 7ft with a 15-second period and an energy reading of 2216, the biggest of the entire forecast. The morning wind is light and offshore, which would make for some epic, heavy waves at Jarosite Reef. This is a standout for the more experienced crew, but it’s over a week away, so we’ll have to watch the forecasts closely to see if it holds.

The 11th of September fades a bit, settling back to 4ft with a lighter period, and the wind goes cross again.

So, for the here and now, the standout is the 5th of September for the sheer power and size. The cleanest, best quality surf looks like Monday the 31st of August, with that glassy afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled on that 10th of September window, too.

This reef break is an advanced, consistent spot, so it’s going to handle all this energy well. The crowds can be around sometimes, so you might have to share the lineup. The optimum swell direction is from the SW, and that’s exactly where the good ones are coming from.

It’s been a while coming, but get ready for some proper surf.

Rusty.

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