Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

The long-range outlook for the upcoming weeks is a bit of a mixed bag with a few standout days worth chasing. The water temperature is sitting at 72° which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, nothing too wild but it'll feel nice compared to the average.

The first real window of opportunity kicks off on Sunday, August 3rd. Monday morning, August 4th, is actually the pick of the first week. Early Monday morning we've got glassy conditions with a 7 ft swell from the southeast, period hanging around 11 seconds. The wind is a light south, basically glass, and that's a huge positive. Combined swell energy is moderate, sitting at 1086. This is a point break setup and it's fairly consistent, so expect clean, lined-up waves. It's ideal for intermediate surfers. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so getting out early will be worth it. The swell direction is from the southeast, which is not the optimum south direction, but with the glassy conditions and the moderate size, this will be the best on offer in the early part of the forecast.

After that, conditions drop off pretty quickly. Tuesday through to the end of the first week is looking poor with onshore winds and small, weak swell. There's a stretch of several days where the surf is just not worth the paddle out.

Then we look ahead to Sunday, August 10th. This is a big, powerful swell event. Early Sunday morning we're seeing a 12 ft swell from the south-southwest, but it's a short period of 8 seconds. The wind is a cross-off southerly at 9 mph, keeping things clean. Wave energy is strong, clocking in at 1607. This is definitely for experienced surfers only – that size is no joke. The short period means it'll be a bit messier than a groundswell, but for a beach break, it can still offer some punch. The wind state is good. This is the standout for the entire outlook, but it's a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the models.

Monday, August 11th, is still big but the wind picks up strongly, making it a more challenging day. The rest of the second week has some smaller, cleaner windows but nothing that really screams "go now" compared to that Sunday.

So, to sum it up: get on Monday morning, August 4th for the cleanest, most user-friendly waves. And mark your calendar for Sunday, August 10th, for the big, powerful stuff if you've got the skills.

Rusty.

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