La Push Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s be real. The next two weeks are looking like a whole lot of nothing for surf around here. We’ve got a long stretch of small, jumbled, and wind-affected waves that will have you wondering why you even hauled your board down. But don’t lose hope just yet. There’s a little light at the end of the tunnel, but you’re gonna need some serious patience.

The first week is basically a washout. Starting this Thursday morning, the 6th, we’ve got a weak 4ft swell coming from the WNW with a short, crumbly 8-second period. The wind is light but cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be pretty. The wave energy is a weak 312, and the water temp is 60°, which is about average for this time of year. The best you can say is it’s marginal, and even then, it’s a stretch. Friday and Saturday, the 7th and 8th, are even worse. The swell drops a touch and the period shrinks to 7 seconds, with more onshore wind. This is poor surf, full stop. The combined energy is in the low 200s, which is weak. We’re looking at a few days of nothing here.

Sunday the 9th brings a new, longer-period swell from the SW, but it’s tiny, only 1ft. The period is a nice 17 seconds, which breathes some life into it, but the size just isn’t there. The energy is still weak at 221. This trend continues through to Wednesday the 12th, with the swell staying small and the period staying long. It’s a tease, really. The ocean is trying to do something, but it just doesn’t have the push.

The first real pulse of size shows up on Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the WNW, but the period is a weak 7-8 seconds. That’s a short-period wind swell, and it’s going to be messy. The wind is light and cross-shore, which is something, I guess, but the quality is still poor. The energy is moderate, around 353, but it’s not going to translate into clean waves. It’s still a pass.

The following days, from the 15th to the 17th, we drop back down to that small, long-period SW swell, with heights around 2ft to 3ft. The energy picks up a bit, reaching 397 on the 16th, but it’s still small and not worth getting excited about. The period is still long, 15-18 seconds, which is a good sign for shape, but there’s just no size.

Now, here’s where things start to look a little more interesting. Starting on the morning of Monday, August 18th, we see the swell start to fill in. The height is 3ft, but the period is a solid 14 seconds, and it’s coming from the W. The energy jumps to 583, which is now in the moderate range. The wind is light and cross, so it might be clean. This trend continues into Tuesday the 19th and Wednesday the 20th, with the swell holding around 4ft to 4ft, the period dropping slightly to 12-13 seconds, and the energy staying strong, in the 500-600 range. This is the standout period. The wind is light and cross-onshore on Tuesday morning, which could still be clean. The direction is right, the period is right, and the energy is finally there. This is our best bet.

The catch is, this is a longer-period groundswell, and La Push is an exposed reef. Long-period swells can break too straight at beach breaks, but at a reef like this, it should be a lot better. It’s still a beginner spot, and with a swell around 4ft, it’s just about at the limit for a beginner, but it should be doable. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, so you might not be alone. This is the one to keep an eye on.

After that, things start to fade again. Thursday the 21st and Friday the 22nd see the swell dropping back to 3ft and below, with the period coming down to 11-14 seconds. The wind turns more cross-onshore, and the quality drops back to poor. It’s another fade-out.

So here’s the deal. The first 11 days are a total grind. There’s nothing worth getting wet for. But mark your calendar for the 18th and 19th of August. That’s the window where we’ve got the best combo of size, period, and light wind. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the day off work just yet, but it’s definitely the most promising. The energy is moderate to strong, and the direction is right. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Rusty.

Read more