Junkyards Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee, let’s talk straight about what’s coming up for Junkyards. Gotta be honest with you, this forecast is a long, dry stretch before things maybe get interesting, so patience is the name of the game.

Right now, and for the next week and a half, Junkyards is basically a no-go for any real surfing. We’ve got a solid run of days with nothing on offer—just flat, clean conditions with light breezes, but no swell to work with at all. The water temp is sitting at a warm 84°, which is pretty much standard for this time of year, so no surprises there. From the 16th all the way through to the morning of the 25th of September, it’s dead. A few tiny pulses of south swell try to show up around the 19th and 20th, but we’re talking 1 ft at best with a short 8-second period and weak energy readings (22 and 21). That’s not going to do anything at a reef break like this—barely a ripple. The wind stays mostly cross-off from the north or northeast, so the surface is clean, but without swell, it doesn’t matter.

Then, on the afternoon of Friday the 25th of September, something finally stirs. We see a 2 ft swell from the southeast with a 12-second period and a combined energy of 126. That’s still small, but the longer period means it’ll have a bit more push, and with a gentle offshore wind from the east-northeast, the conditions will be clean. It’s the first real sign of life, but it’s pretty ordinary—barely surfable, and only for those who are desperate for a few small, weak waves. This break needs southwest swell to work best, and this southeast direction isn’t ideal.

The standout, and I mean the only real standout in this whole 16-day window, is Monday the 28th of September. Hold onto your board—this one comes with a serious pulse. On the morning of the 28th, a big 16 ft swell from the west-northwest rolls in, with a 10-second period and a massive combined energy of 5078. That is serious, heavy, powerful water. In the afternoon, it drops slightly to 13 ft, still with 3440 energy—still huge. But here’s the catch: the wind is blowing from the east at 19 mph, cross-off, and while the surface stays clean, that’s a strong breeze. This is easily a 8 ft-plus swell, so it’s only for experts. Beginners, stay well clear. Junkyards is a reef break, and with that size and period, it’ll be powerful, hollow, and unforgiving. The swell direction from the west-northwest isn’t a perfect match for the optimum southwest direction for this spot, but when the ocean throws 16 ft at you, it’ll still break hard. Expect crowds to be possible—this kind of event draws the local crew.

After that big pulse, Tuesday the 29th drops to 6 ft from the west-northwest, but the period shortens to 8-9 seconds and the energy drops to 467-536. The wind picks up even more from the southeast at 19 mph, so it’s going to be messy, with poor to marginal conditions. Not worth paddling out on that.

Then it’s back to flat or tiny dribble for the rest of the period, through to the 1st of October.

Honestly, if you’re a surfer, this is a waiting game. Most of the forecast is a blank run, which is pretty normal for this area when the swell windows don’t align. The one true standout is the morning of 28 September—massive, powerful waves, but only for the experts. Keep an eye on that one, but don’t hold your breath for anything else.

Rusty.

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