Johanna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good hard look at what Mother Nature’s got cookin’ for Johanna. This is a solid, exposed west-facing setup, so when the swell hits, it hits hard. We’ve got a run of some serious size coming through, but you’ve gotta pick your moments with the wind.

The opening act kicks off this Friday morning, August 7th. It’s not huge, but 10ft of WSW groundswell with a long 15-second period is a beautiful thing. The wind is light and cross-off from the NW, so it’ll be clean. The energy is pumping at 4149 (moderate to strong), so expect powerful lines. This is for experienced surfers only – that’s a lot of water moving. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Saturday morning, August 8th, the wind goes offshore from the N at 16 mph, keeping things clean on a 8ft WSW swell with a 16-second period. This is classic Johanna – long, lined-up groundswell. The energy is still strong (3417). This is another standout for the experienced crew.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Sunday the 9th stays clean with offshore wind, but the swell drops to 7ft and then 6ft in the afternoon. It’s still surfable, just not the same power.

Then we hit a wall. Monday, August 10th, is a write-off. The wind swings onshore from the WSW at 22 mph, and the swell jumps to an unruly 13ft-16ft. The combined energy is absolutely massive (10620 to 14097). That’s just dangerous, messy, and blown out. Do not bother. Tuesday the 11th is a no-go either, with fresh cross-off winds but a messy, lower-score forecast.

Wednesday the 12th is a real standout, but it’s a tricky one. The morning shows a 15ft WSW swell with a 16-second period and clean cross-off wind. The energy is massive at 9643. But by the afternoon, the wind cranks onshore from the WSW at 25 mph, and the swell hits 18ft with an insane 21466 energy reading. The morning session will be for experts only – big, clean, powerful, and dangerous. The afternoon is unsurfable.

Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th stay oversized (16ft-20ft) but with cross or cross-onshore wind, making it lumpy and challenging. The energy stays in the 11000 to 16759 range. This is a time to be very picky or just watch from the cliff.

Things start to settle over the weekend of August 15th-16th. The swell drops to 12ft-13ft from the SW with a long period, but the wind is cross-onshore. The energy is still moderate to strong (5808-6670), but the surface won’t be perfect. It’s better than the weekdays, but not the best of the run.

For the following week, keep an eye on Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th mornings. The swell drops to a more manageable 7ft-7ft, the wind goes glassy from the ENE and NNW, and the energy is moderate (1905-1909). This will be clean, fun, and a welcome break from the chaos. Wednesday the 19th morning is also clean with a cross-off breeze and a 7ft W swell (3512 energy).

The tail end of the forecast into August 20th-22nd shows more clean conditions but with dropping swell and a shift to onshore winds by the 21st. The window is closing.

So, if you’re looking for the absolute best on offer: Saturday morning, August 8th, is your pick. Clean offshore wind, 8ft WSW groundswell with a long period, and solid energy. For the brave souls who like it big and can handle the crowd (it’s often busy here), Wednesday morning, August 12th, offers a massive, clean 15ft swell for experts only. If you want a quieter, cleaner session, Monday morning, August 17th looks glassy and fun.

Remember, when it’s this big at Johanna, it’s not for the faint-hearted. Paddle smart.

- Rusty

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