La Push Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for the La Push area. It’s been a bit of a slow start, but we’ve got a few promising windows to look forward to.

Right now, the water temperature is chugging along at about average for this time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there. For the first week and a half, the surf is pretty uninspiring. We’re looking at mostly small, weak swell from the 21st of August all the way through to the 30th. You’ll see a lot of days with waist-high or smaller waves, and the wind is often a mess — cross-shore or cross-onshore, making things choppy. The combined wave energy sits in the moderate range, like 389 (moderate) on the 21st morning, but the quality is just not there. We’ve got a long stretch of days here where the forecast is calling it poor or marginal. Honestly, it’s a blank run for nearly a week and a half, not much to get excited about.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. La Push (United States) is a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to the swell. On that morning, we’ve got a 2ft swell from the SW, with a period of 15 seconds — that’s a proper groundswell, and it’ll wrap in nicely here. The wind is SSE at 6 mph, coming cross-offshore, which should keep the surface clean. The combined energy is 289 (moderate), and the forecast is calling for “expect good surf conditions.” It’s not huge, but it’ll be rideable and clean. Just keep in mind that crowds are sometimes an issue here, so you might have some company.

But the real standout, the one that’s got my heart pumping, is the first week of September. On Tuesday the 1st of September, we see a big jump in size. The swell hits 8ft from the W, with a 12-second period. That’s a serious groundswell, and the combined energy skyrockets to 1998 (strong to very strong). The wind is SSE at 12 mph, cross-offshore, keeping it clean. Now, at 8ft, this is expert territory — beginners should stay well clear. This is where the big boys come out to play. The reef setup at La Push will handle this swell well, but that long period can make it break a bit straight at times, so keep your wits about you.

The following day, Wednesday the 2nd of September, is still solid with 8ft from the W at 12 seconds and a combined energy of 1603 (very strong). The wind is still cross-offshore, so it’s clean. And then Thursday the 3rd of September is a real treat: 6ft from the WNW at 10 seconds, with glassy conditions in the afternoon. The combined energy is 701 (moderate to strong), and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the kind of day you call in sick for. The wind is nearly nothing, just a slight air, so the surface will be like glass. This is the pick of the bunch for the intermediate to advanced crew.

The weekend of the 4th and 5th of September holds some decent size too, with 5-6ft from the WNW, but the wind picks up fresh, so it’ll be a bit bumpier. Still, it’s clean and rideable.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a dud. Don’t bother. But from the 30th of August, and especially the 1st through the 3rd of September, the ocean wakes up. The true standout is the 3rd of September afternoon — glassy, 5ft, and clean. That’s the one to circle on your calendar.

Stay stoked, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty

Read more