Jarosite Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s look at what’s on the table. The only spot on the menu for the next 16 days is Jarosite Reef, an advanced reef break that’s pretty consistent and picks up swell from the SW. It’s a place for experienced surfers only when it gets going.

The water is sitting at 57°F, which is about 1°F warmer than average for this time of year, so that’s pretty normal—nothing to write home about on the temperature front.

Right now, there’s a bit of a dry spell. Monday the 7th is a write-off with cross-onshore wind and messy, weak swell of 4ft to 5ft from the SSW with a short 6-second period and weak energy (281). Just a choppy, poor setup. Wait it out.

The first real standout hits on Tuesday morning, September 8th. Jarosite Reef cleans right up with a light cross-offshore wind from the WSW and a very long-period, 18-second groundswell from the SW. Combined wave energy is in the strong range (1070). The swell is 3ft, small but with those long intervals the waves will have good shape and power. Conditions are clean, and this is one of the better windows for an experienced surfer. The afternoon softens a little with a cross-shore wind and the same big swell, but it’s early that morning that’s the real golden hour.

Wednesday the 9th sees a big jump in size. By the afternoon, it’s a powerful 10ft from the SSW with an 18-second period and huge energy (6280). This is proper groundswell, but the cross-shore wind is fresh and lumpy, and these long-period swells tend to be tricky on a reef—they can wall up and close out, especially on a beach setup. This is expert-only territory. The 8ft on the 10th is still muscular but the wind turns back cross-onshore in the afternoon.

Friday the 12th is another clean highlight. Saturday morning has a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE, 5ft from the SW, solid 15-second period, and strong energy (1197). Nice and clean for experienced surfers. Saturday afternoon goes glassy with a tiny 5ft SW swell and very clean conditions—real classic late-arvo potential without the wind.

After that, the swell backs off through the 13th and 14th. The 14th sees a clean offshore wind from the NW but the swell drops to 2ft, which won’t do much on the reef. A few days of small, clean fun but nothing to get excited about.

Then on September 15th and 16th, another pulse of size. Tuesday the 15th pushes 8ft to 10ft from the SW with a 12-to-13-second period and very high energy (over 5000). The wind is gentle cross-onshore, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but this is big, powerful water. Again, only for experts, and the long period means it could be a handful on the reef.

The last good-looking window is Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th. Moderate offshore winds from the NNW, clean conditions, and 4ft to 4ft from the SSW/SW with long periods (14 to 16 seconds). Very rideable, clean, and much more manageable. The morning of the 18th is the pick of that later run.

Crowds here can show up sometimes, so on those clean, smaller days expect a few locals out, but it won’t be a zoo.

Overall, the bigger pulses around the 9th and 15th-16th are only for the experienced crew. The true standout is Tuesday morning, September 8th, for that clean, long-period, manageable swell. Saturday afternoon, September 12th, is a close second for glassy, clean, lazy waves.

-Rusty

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