Leffingwell Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve been staring at the charts for Leffingwell Landing, and I gotta say, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. This is a reef setup, so it handles swell direction well, but the wind has been a real pain for most of the run. Let’s break it down.

We start off with a pretty flat and funky period. Wednesday the 26th through the end of August is mostly cross-onshore junk, with small swell and choppy conditions. The wave energy is moderate (386 to 1173), but the wind is just not playing ball. You’ll see some longer-period SSW groundswell pushing through around Friday the 28th, with periods hitting 19 seconds and energy climbing (609 to 728), but it’s all cross-on and messy. That long-period stuff is better suited for a reef or point, but with the wind state, it’s just not worth paddling out for. The crowd is sometimes a factor here, but with quality this poor, it won’t be an issue.

The first week of September is a quiet stretch. Mornings are glassy or light, but the swell is tiny – 1ft to 2ft – and energy drops to a weak 124 to 414. It’s a real lull, and I’d say it’s a few days of nothing worth chasing.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. On the morning of Friday, September 4th, we’ve got a standout window. The wind goes glassy calm, with a light SSE breeze turning cross-offshore in the afternoon. Swell is 3ft from the SSW, period at 17 seconds, and energy is strong (950 in the morning, 858 in the afternoon). The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is a classic groundswell, and on a reef like Leffingwell, it should shape up nicely. The waves will be clean, with longer gaps between sets, making paddling out easier. This is the best on offer – a solid 3 out of 10 on the quality scale, but for this stretch, that’s a gold star.

Saturday morning, September 5th, keeps that trend going with a clean cross-off breeze and 4ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, energy around 700. It’s still good, but the afternoon gets a bit onshore and messy, so make the most of the early session.

After that, we’re back to cross-onshore winds and smaller, shorter-period swell from the 6th through the 10th. Energy stays moderate to strong (327 to 1113), but the wind keeps it choppy and poor. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Wednesday, September 9th, with moderate energy (1004) and a 16-second period, but the cross-on breeze ruins it. By the 10th, it’s more of the same – marginal at best.

So, if you’re keen, the real window is Friday, September 4th into Saturday morning, September 5th. That’s your cleanest, best-shaped swell of the entire forecast. The rest is a bit of a write-off unless you’re desperate for a paddle. For a reef break, this spot can handle some swell, but the wind is the boss here.

Rusty.

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