Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for us.

Truth be told, we’re in for a pretty bleak stretch here. The next week and a half is mostly junk. We’ve got a long gap of small, weak, and messy conditions before anything worth paddling out for shows up. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t arrive until Thursday the 24th of September, nearly two weeks away. So, be patient.

Thursday 11 September through to Saturday 20 September is a write-off. We’re talking days of tiny surf – most of it under 1 ft – with onshore or cross-shore winds messing it up. The water is sitting at 74°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s unseasonably warm, but that’s the only good thing. The combined wave energy is barely registering, mostly in the teens and twenties – just weak (21 to 28). Not worth getting wet for.

Sunday 13 September offers a tiny bit of relief. The morning brings a 3 ft swell from the SE with clean, offshore wind from the W. The period is a short 5 seconds, so it’s windswell, but it’s rideable. The energy is still weak at 66. You *could* get a few, but it’s ordinary at best. By afternoon the wind drops to nothing, but the swell fades to 2 ft.

Sunday 20 September is when things get interesting, but not in a good way for paddle surfing. A bigger pulse of energy arrives, with swell heights hitting 5 ft from the ENE and a period of 7 seconds. The energy jumps to 266 (moderate). But the wind is a strong cross-shore from the NNE at 22 mph, making it lumpy and choppy. This setup at Manasquan Inlet looks way more suited for kite surfing than a regular surfboard – the wind and chop will be too messy for a clean ride.

This poor pattern continues through the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd with building swell (up to 6 ft and energy hitting 457 on Tuesday 22 September), but the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, ruining the shape. Plenty of water moving, but blown-out.

Finally, we get a standout. Thursday 24 September is the day to circle. The morning brings a 4 ft swell from the E, with a period of 9 seconds – a decent groundswell. The wind is offshore from the WNW at 16 mph, which will clean it right up. Combined energy is 235, so a solid moderate push. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This won’t be for beginners – 4 ft at a jetty can be a bit punchy – but for the advanced crew, this is the best window in the whole 16 days. The offshore wind is a major positive here. If you can only make one session, make it Thursday morning.

Friday 25 September morning is a decent backup: same 4 ft E swell, clean with a light NNW wind, and energy at 230. Still good, but the wind might be a touch less perfect than Thursday.

After that, the weekend of the 26th and 27th drops off again, with the swell fading and winds swinging back onshore or gusty.

So, bottom line: the next 12 days are mostly a dud. Hang tight for Thursday the 24th – that’s your best and really only standout call. It’s a long way off, so keep an eye on the forecast, but if it holds, it’ll be worth the wait.

Rusty.

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