Middles/Generals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a 16-day window on the table for Middles/Generals, and I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The first two weeks look like a write-off for decent waves, with a persistent, strong ENE wind locking in a cross-shore chop that’s just not going to give us anything clean. The energy is there, but it’s ugly.

We kick off Thursday, July 30th, with a 5ft ENE swell at 8 seconds, but that 16 mph cross-shore makes it a messy, lumpy affair. The combined energy is moderate at 429, but it’s all for nothing with that wind. Thursday afternoon sees a tiny 2ft SSW swell with a super long 18-second period, giving a big energy reading of 559, but it’s cross-on and choppy. This pattern holds into Friday and Saturday, July 31st and August 1st, with the swell jumping up to 8ft on Saturday – that’s expert territory at 5ft+ for beginners, and over 8ft for experts only. But with the wind howling at 28 mph, it’s a messy, strong cross-shore with massive energy readings over 1300. No good.

We get a small reprieve on Tuesday, August 4th. The morning offers a 5ft swell from the ENE, but this time the period is 12 seconds, giving it some groundswell punch. The combined energy is 658, and the wind drops to 12 mph. It’s still a cross-shore, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The forecast says it’s marginal. For a beach break with that long-period groundswell, it might be a bit too straight, but it’s the only window with a hint of potential. The afternoon is similar with a 5ft, 11-second swell and 560 energy.

Then it’s back to the same old story through the first week of August. The water temperature is sitting at 80°F, which is about normal for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The really interesting shift comes on Monday, August 10th. The morning shows a 3ft SSW swell, but with a 16-second period and a massive combined energy of 1124. The wind is still a fresh cross-shore, but that energy reading is strong. The forecast calls it marginal. This is a long-period groundswell, which is normally better at reefs and points, but at a beach break it can be a bit shifty. Still, with that much energy, if the wind eases, it could be the standout of the whole outlook. The afternoon sees a 3ft S swell, still 16 seconds, but the wind goes light at 9 mph from the east, cross-on. Not ideal, but it’s the cleanest wind we’ve seen.

Tuesday, August 11th, keeps the SSW groundswell alive at 3ft with 15-second periods, but the wind is back up.

So, bottom line: we have a long gap of rough, windy surf until Tuesday, August 4th, which offers a glimmer. The real potential is a week later on Monday, August 10th, with that big energy, long-period groundswell. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the week off, but keep an eye on it. The rest of the window is a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s.

Rusty.

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