Lacanau Ocean Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surf is looking pretty grim for the next week or so. We've got a real flat spell settling in, and the ocean's gonna be pretty forgetful for a while. Water temp’s at 78° and that’s a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s muggy out there, even if the waves aren’t doing much.

We’re looking at a stretch of several days, from the 17th through the 27th, where it’s just not worth paddling out. The swell is tiny, period is short, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. A lot of these days the energy is weak too – the combined energy is in the low double digits, like 61, 57, 32, 30... just nothing to get excited about. The water might be warm, but the surf is flat, bumpy, or just plain poor. A couple of mornings, like Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, have a bit of a glassy or cross-offshore look, but the swell is still too small – around 2ft to 3ft with a short period – so it’s not going to offer up anything memorable. It’s a tough stretch for anyone who isn't a total kook or just keen for a float.

Now, things start to get interesting as we roll into the final days of the month. There’s a pulse of energy coming in for Friday the 28th. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the WNW with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps right up to 725, which is a huge change from what we’ve seen. There’s also a sniff of it on Monday afternoon the 31st when the energy goes even higher – 946 – and we get some bigger, longer-period swell rolling in. These are the standouts, but they’re rough diamonds. The winds are still onshore or cross-onshore, making things choppy, and the quality is still marginal. So while the size and power are there, you're going to be fighting a bumpy ocean. This is more for the experienced crew who don’t mind a bit of a wrestle.

And then, we close the window with Tuesday, September 1st. There’s a proper push of swell – 6ft from the WNW, with a very long 14-second period. The energy is through the roof at 1262, which is some serious juice. But the wind is up, blowing 19-22 mph from the southwest and west-southwest, which is not our friend. It’s going to be lumpy and messy. This is a real shame because there’s a lot of raw power in the water, but the surface conditions are going to be wind-blown. For the average surfer, it'll be a messy day. For a kiter, on the other hand, this place could be an absolute playground.

All in all, the next 16 days are lean. Hold onto your hats for the end of the month but don't get your hopes up for a clean, classic day. The ocean’s full of energy but it's just not aligning with the wind for good surf. Forecasts can always change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, this is a good time to wax the longboard and work on your tan.

Rusty.

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