Middles/Generals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it's Rusty here. Let's get into it for Middles/Generals. Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days are a real mixed bag, and we're gonna be waiting a while before we see anything worth paddling out for.

The big picture is that we've got a persistent, strong ENE wind that's just mucking up the waves for the first week and a half. The water temp is sitting at a warm 81°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing your nuts off while you're getting blown off the face.

The first real sniff of something decent comes on Sunday, September 13th. The morning and afternoon see a shift to a light NNE cross-offshore breeze at 16 mph, which is a major positive because it'll finally clean things up. The swell is a consistent 7 ft – 7 ft from the ENE with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (644 in the morning, 606 in the afternoon). This is a solid, punchy beach break wave, but with that short period, it's not gonna be the most drawn-out ride. It's a good, fun size for an intermediate, but at over 5 ft, beginners might find it a bit hefty. The crowds are likely here, so be prepared to share.

Then, Monday, September 14th, is actually the standout of the whole outlook. The wind drops right out to a light breeze from the ENE at 6 mph, going glassy in the morning with a light cross-shore. The swell holds at 8 ft – 8 ft from the ENE, still a short 8-second period. The combined energy jumps up to a strong 855 in the morning and 1149 in the afternoon. This is the best combo of size and clean conditions we're going to see. The afternoon session edges it for me, with that bump in energy. It's still a beach break, so the short period will keep it from being too straight, but it's a powerful, chunky wave. Definitely one for the experienced surfers, as it's pushing towards 8 ft.

After that, things get messy again. The wind picks back up, and the swell drops off. The second week looks lean, with a few marginal days around September 15th and 18th, offering some long-period SSW groundswell (16-21 seconds), but the wind is never right, and the energy is moderate to weak. It's a real shame, as that long period would be a treat at this point, but the cross-shore chop will ruin it.

Honestly, if you've got a kite, there's some solid wind in the first week, but for a paddle surfer, the only real windows are that Sunday the 13th and the Monday the 14th. Don't get your hopes up for the rest.

Stay sharp,
Rusty.

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