Langs beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, switching to feet and knots for the imperial crew.

First off, I gotta be honest: this 16-day window for Langs Beach is a real bummer. There’s a big empty gap at the start, so you’re looking at a long stretch of flat or near-flat conditions before anything even thinks about showing up. The first few days are a write-off, with tiny, weak, and mostly messy surf. You’ll be waiting until Sunday, September 20th before you see any real size, and even then, it’s a short, bumpy affair.

Now, the water temp is sitting at about 60°, which is 2° warmer than the yearly average – nothing crazy, just a touch on the mild side for September.

Let’s run through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

For the first week and a half, it’s all poor surf conditions. From Tuesday September 8th right through to Saturday September 19th, the swell heights are tiny – mostly 0.6 ft to 2 ft – with the odd bit of cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 20 and 83 (weak). That’s knee-high dribble at best, and the periods are all over the place, often too short to wrap properly. The wind is generally cross-off from the SW, which keeps it clean, but there’s just no swell to work with. This spot is fairly consistent generally, but not this month. A blank run of about 12 days is unusual but not unheard of.

The standout, and really the only time worth getting wet, comes Sunday September 20th. We finally get a pulse of swell. The morning shows a 5 ft swell from the NNW, but the period is a short 6 seconds – windswell, not groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 162 (moderate). That’s the biggest energy we’ve seen by a long shot. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SW at about 22 knots, so it will be lined up and blowy. This isn’t a beginner wave – at 5 ft and short period, it’ll be punchy and a bit crumbly. It’s best for experienced surfers who want to get a few laps in. The afternoon drops to 4 ft and 119 energy, still OK but fading. Crowds are possible here sometimes, but with this quality, it won’t be packed.

Monday September 21st drops back to 2 ft and short period, and it’s all downhill again into tiny, weak surf for the rest of the window. The combined energy from Tuesday onwards is back under 35 (weak). The break is an exposed beach, and with the swell dying, it just won’t hold any shape.

Honestly, if you’re not an expert, you’re better off waiting for the next system. The setup on the 20th is more interesting for kite surfing than paddling, given the strong wind and short, choppy waves. This is not a week for the quiver-master.

Rusty.

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