Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for the Manasquan Inlet area is a tough one to write. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the surf is pretty much a non-event for the vast majority of it. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly trash, and the conditions are just plain messy.

First off, the water temp is sitting at 77°F, which is a solid 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a notable shift, and it feels like bathwater out there, but sadly, that’s about the only highlight.

We start with a big gap. From Tuesday, the 18th of August, all the way through until Sunday, the 23rd, there’s absolutely nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, 2 ft or less, with short, weak periods. The combined wave energy is pathetic, barely cracking 30 or 40 (that’s weak energy). The wind is a constant issue – cross-on, onshore, or just choppy. It’s a real flat spell.

Things don’t look much better going into the following week. Monday the 24th, we get a little glimmer. The wind goes glassy in the morning, then shifts to a light cross-off in the afternoon. The swell is still only 2 ft from the SSE, and the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s weak and junky. The energy is still low, around 49 to 91 (still weak). The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – and that’s about the best praise we can give it. It’s something, but it’s not good.

The rest of the week is a write-off. The wind picks up again, we get onshore slop, and the swell stays tiny. We see a small bump in energy on the 28th of August, with a 3 ft SSE swell and a period of 8 seconds, but it’s still messy.

As we roll into September, there’s finally a pulse of energy. On Tuesday the 1st of September, the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the SE, and the period is still a short 7 seconds, but the combined energy climbs to 103 (moderate). Then on Wednesday the 2nd, it gets a bit better: 3 ft from the SE, period at 6 seconds, but the energy jumps to 117, and even 166 on the afternoon (moderate energy). The wind is still cross-on, so it’s not clean, but it’s the biggest surf we’ve seen in the whole run. It’s still poor surf conditions, though.

If I had to pick a stand-out, I’d say the glassy morning on the 24th of August is the only time the *conditions* are any good, but the waves are weak. The bigger energy on the 1st and 2nd of September is the most punch we’ll get, but the wind will ruin it. Honestly, for anyone who can’t get out on that one Monday morning, this is a long stretch of flatness. This inlet is a fickle spot, and this run is a perfect example of why we don’t always get to ride.

Stay patient, and check back with me. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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