Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gonna be a tough one for the Jersey Shore. Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at Manasquan Inlet, and for the next 16 days, it’s mostly a flat spell with some very ordinary wind. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn’t show up until Wednesday, August 26th, with a tiny pulse of energy. After that, there’s a bigger, more promising swell on the horizon for the end of the month, but it’s a long way out.

The water temp is sitting right around average for August, so it’s a typical summer suit situation.

For the first week and a half, from Thursday, August 13th through Tuesday, August 25th, it’s a grim run. Swell heights are barely a ripple, often under 2 ft, and the combined energy is weak, barely cracking triple digits. The winds are all over the place—cross, cross-on, or just plain onshore. It’s a lot of small, choppy junk. Not worth paddling out for.

The first glimmer comes on Wednesday morning, August 26th. The wind switches to a light offshore NW breeze, cleaning things up. But it’s tiny. We’re looking at 1 ft from the ESE, with a period of 11 seconds. It’s a groundswell, so there’s a little bit of push, but the energy is still weak. It’s a “glassy” morning for the very small, long-period bump. This is a beginner-to-longboard-only kind of day, and only if you’re desperate.

That afternoon, the wind shifts to a light SW offshore, keeping it clean. The swell nudges up to 1 ft from the SE, with a slightly shorter 10-second period. The energy is still low. The report says “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s a step up, but still barely a ripple.

The standout for the entire outlook is Thursday, August 27th. The swell jumps up to 6 ft from the ENE, with a combined energy of 308 (moderate). The period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s a windswell. The morning looks messy with a cross-onshore SSE wind, but it’s a risk of thunderstorms. The afternoon, however, has a SW offshore wind, which will clean it up nicely. This is the biggest swell of the window at 5 ft from the E (240 energy, moderate). This is for the advanced crew only at Manasquan Inlet, as it’s right at the edge of being too big, and the short period will make it dumpy and fast. The offshore wind is the key. If it holds, the incoming tide could offer some dredging barrels for the experts.

Friday, August 28th, drops off. The morning is 5 ft from the E (183 energy) with a clean NW offshore wind, but the energy is fading. A decent morning session for the more experienced, but nothing compared to the day before.

So, look: the only true standout is the afternoon of Thursday, August 27th. That’s your best bet for a proper session. Everything before that is a bust. The long-range promises are promising, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep your fingers crossed.

Rusty.

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