Le Poux Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window is a real struggle. We’ve got a long stretch ahead with no good surf on offer, so don’t bother waxing up just yet. The first sign of anything rideable doesn’t show up until Thursday, September 17th, which means we’re looking at over a week of flat, messy, or just plain ugly conditions before we get a sniff of something.

The only break in the game here is Le Poux (Lac Léman). It’s a beach and reef setup that rarely breaks, so you’re already fighting an uphill battle. The water temperature is sitting at 67°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one small comfort if you’re just having a paddle.

Let’s run through the rough. From now through Wednesday, September 16th, it’s all poor surf conditions. Cross-onshore winds, lumpy chop, and tiny swell. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 100 (292) on the Tuesday morning, but that’s paired with a 19 mph southerly cross-on and rain – not worth it. The rest of the week is a blur of light winds and tiny 2 ft to 4 ft swell, but the wind is always wrong, and the wave comment keeps saying “poor surf conditions.” Not a single day where you’d want to paddle out.

Now, the first real glimmer comes on Thursday, September 17th. The morning shows a clean 4 ft swell from the west at 10 seconds, with a nice cross-offshore breeze from the north at 16 mph. The combined energy is moderate (216). The afternoon cleans up even more: 5 ft from the west-northwest, 9 seconds, and still a clean cross-offshore wind. The wave comment upgrades to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” but for this spot, that’s a win. This is the standout of the whole outlook. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only time we get clean lines and a little push. The offshore wind is a major positive here – it’ll keep the surface glassy.

Friday, September 18th keeps the trend going. Morning brings a 3 ft west-northwest swell with a short period of 7 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the east-northeast at 9 mph, making for clean conditions. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary.” The afternoon drops to 2 ft with an even shorter period of 6 seconds, but still offshore. It’s not groundswell, but if you’re desperate, it’s rideable.

After that, it’s all downhill again. From Saturday, September 19th onward, the swell fades back to 1.0 ft to 2 ft, and the wind swings around to cross-off or onshore. The combined energy is weak. By Monday, September 21st, we get a weird spike of 18-second period swell (very long period) reaching 2 ft, but it’s buried under a 25 mph cross-onshore gale and rain showers – that’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle-surfing. The rest of the window is a mix of clean but tiny surf or mess.

So, if you’re set on surfing, your only real shot is Thursday, September 17th at Le Poux. It’s the one day where the stars align just enough. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off. It’s a rare spot that rarely breaks, so a blank run like this is more normal for the area. Forecasts can change, but for now, go have a coffee instead.

Rusty.

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