Middles/Generals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get real about what’s on the cards for Middles/Generals over the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you: the next week and a half is pretty grim. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions right through from Wednesday the 19th of August all the way to the end of the month. The wind is a constant problem – almost always cross-shore or cross-onshore from the ENE, blowing anywhere from 9 mph up to a nasty 31 mph. That’s going to leave the surface ugly with a messy cross-chop. The swell is mostly short-period windswell, and the wave energy is just getting churned up into junk. The combined energy gets high, but it’s all messy, lumpy power with no real shape. The waves are mostly around 3 ft to 7 ft, but with those winds, it’s not worth paddling out. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

There’s a bit of a tease on Thursday the 20th of August in the afternoon. The wind swings to NNE at 9 mph, going cross-offshore, and the report says “clean.” The swell is tiny though – only 2 ft from the SSW with a long period of 17 seconds. That’s groundswell, but it’s just not enough size to get excited about. The combined energy is moderate, but it’s a marginal call at best.

Honestly, there’s nothing worth paddling out for until we hit the very end of the outlook. The standout moment – and I mean the only real window – is on Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning swell jumps to 7 ft from the ENE with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy is ripping strong. That’s powerful surf. The afternoon gets even bigger: 8 ft from the E with a 13-second period, and the energy is massive. That’s serious wave energy. But – and this is a big but – the wind is still a fresh cross-shore from the ENE at 19-22 mph, making it lumpy. The report calls it “marginal.” For an intermediate crew, the size is solid, but it’s going to be a battle with the chop. If you’re an expert and you can handle a messy, powerful wave, that afternoon might have some grunt worth chasing.

After that, Wednesday the 2nd of September sees the swell peak at 10 ft from the E with a 13-second period, and energy at extreme levels. That’s expert territory, and the wind is a strong cross-shore breeze at 25 mph. The surface is going to be a mess. It’s more of a kitesurfing day than a clean paddle session.

So, for the next 16 days, the only real shot is that Tuesday the 1st of September. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got. The rest? Leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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