Middles/Generals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s happening at Middles/Generals.

We’ve got a tough run ahead, folks. The whole 16-day window is basically one long stretch of poor conditions. There is no good surfing on offer right now through the end of the first week into the second, and honestly, you’d be wasting your time paddling out. The wind is hammering from the ENE almost non-stop, blowing a stiff cross-shore breeze at 18 to 25 mph, which is just trashing the surface. It’s lumpy, chopped up, and messy all day, every day.

For the first several days, starting Monday the 24th of August, swell sits around 5ft to 7ft from the east and ENE with a short period of just 7 seconds. That’s weak, wind-affected slop. Combined energy is moderate, sitting between 481 and 705 – but with that wind, it’s just a washing machine. The water temp is 81°, about average for this time of year, not that you’d enjoy it in these conditions.

Wednesday the 26th afternoon sees a sudden shift: a long-period S swell of 2ft at 18 seconds rolls in, combined energy 632, but the wind is still howling cross-shore at 22 mph. That long period groundswell would be a dream at a reef or point, but here on this exposed beach-and-reef setup with that cross-wind, it’s just not happening. The same pattern of long-period S and SSW swells drifts through Thursday and Friday, but the wind never gives us a break. It stays cross or cross-shore, and all the wave reports say "poor surf conditions."

We get into September, and it’s more of the same – ENE swell in the 5ft to 7ft range, period stuck around 7 to 8 seconds, and cross winds of 18 to 25 mph. By Wednesday the 2nd of September, we see those combined energy numbers climb above 1000 – strong wave energy – but the wind is still ruining it. Everything is described as poor or just marginal with lumpy cross-chop.

It’s not until Monday the 7th of September that the wind finally eases up. We get a gentle breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, then on Tuesday the 8th of September the wind goes light from the S and then shifts to a light onshore ESE at 6 mph. The swell on Tuesday morning jumps to 8ft from the ENE, period 8 seconds, with combined energy way up at 1320 – that’s strong energy. For the first time, we see a "marginal" call with a score of 3, and that’s the best we get all outlook. But here’s the thing: 8ft with that wind state is still a messy, choppy wave for the most part. That size is borderline for intermediates, and the onshore wind means it’s not going to be clean.

Look, there’s no standout here. There’s no day you'd circle on the calendar. If you’re a kite surfer, the whole first two weeks of strong cross-shore wind and waist-to-chest high lumpy swell might look interesting. For a paddle surfer, it’s a blank run, and that’s pretty normal for this setup when the trades lock in. Forecasts change, but right now, leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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