Lighthouse Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a 16-day window for Lighthouse Reef, and it’s a real mixed bag. The surf is mostly small and inconsistent, with a few windows that could be worth a paddle if you time it right.

The first solid option kicks off on Thursday morning, August 6th. We’re looking at a clean 3ft swell from the SE, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the NW, and the water temperature is sitting at 49°, which is about 2° warmer than usual for this time of year – nothing drastic, just a touch of warmth. The combined wave energy is moderate at 205. It’s a small, clean wave, perfect for a longboard or a fun twinny. Crowds are possible here, so be ready to share.

The rest of the first week is pretty bleak. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf from Thursday afternoon all the way through to the end of the weekend. The swell drops off, and the wind goes onshore or cross-shore, making it choppy and messy. There’s a brief moment on Sunday morning, August 9th, with glassy conditions, but the swell is tiny and weak (48 energy). Not worth getting wet for.

The second week doesn’t offer much hope either. The waves stay small, mostly in the 1ft to 3ft range, with a lot of onshore wind. The best of a bad lot comes on Friday morning, August 14th, with a glassy 2ft wave from the east, but the energy is still low at 98. It’s surfable, but you’ll be scratching for anything decent.

Now, here’s the real standout, and it’s a long way off, so keep your expectations in check. Tuesday morning, August 18th, shows a solid pulse of energy. The swell jumps to 3ft, but it’s from the SSE with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy is a powerful 886 – that’s strong stuff. The wind is cross-shore from the south at 9 mph, which will chop it up a bit. This is a long-period groundswell, so it’s going to wrap in with real power. It’s a beach and reef setup, so that long period might make it break a bit straight, but if you find the right bank, it could be a serious session. This one is for advanced surfers only; 3ft with that energy and period will punch well above its height.

After that, there’s a quick return to form. Wednesday morning, August 19th, offers a clean 2ft wave from the SE with a 12-second period. The wind is offshore from the WNW, and the energy is 223. It’s a clean, fun wave to finish the run, but nothing like the Tuesday morning surge.

The final few days into August 20th and 21st are back to tiny, weak, and forgettable surf. Overall, the best on offer is the Tuesday morning, August 18th session, but it’s a long-range call and the wind is a little messy. Thursday morning, August 6th, is your safest bet for clean, small waves.

Rusty.

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