Middles/Generals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead for Middles/Generals. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty bleak, with no real standout windows for a decent paddle. The wind is a constant problem, and the surf just never seems to line up.

Let’s kick things off from Wednesday, August 12th. The water’s sitting at about 81°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit. But the surf? We’ve got a long-period, 18-second groundswell from the South pushing in around 3 ft, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the ENE at 19 mph, just messing it all up. The combined energy is a moderate 892, but the description says it all: “poor surf conditions.” That’s the story for the next few days.

Moving into Thursday, August 13th, and Friday, August 14th, it’s more of the same. The swell stays small, around 3 ft to 4 ft, and that ENE wind just won’t quit, blowing 22-25 mph. We see a shift on Friday afternoon when the swell direction swings to the ENE and the period drops to a short, weak 8 seconds. The energy is still moderate, but the wind is fresh and cross-shore – it’s all lumpy, messy cross-chop.

Now, the weekend of August 15th and 16th gets a bit wild, but not in a good way. Saturday morning, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the ENE, a short 11-second period, with a near gale from the NE at 28-31 mph. The combined energy hits a strong 2183, and by the afternoon it’s a whopping 2502. That’s a lot of power, but with the wind howling and the surf turning into a washing machine, this is strictly for the kamikaze crew. By Sunday, the 16th, we’re looking at 12 ft waves from the East, but with a risk of thunderstorms and a near gale cross-onshore wind. The description says “blown out” – and that’s putting it mildly. This setup is far more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers.

The following week, from Monday, August 17th, onwards, the swell drops back down to 5 ft to 6 ft, but those short, weak 7-8 second periods from the ENE keep things sloppy. The wind is a constant cross-shore or cross-onshore breeze, leaving the surface choppy and lumpy. The combined energy drops to weak levels, around 201 to 395, by the 20th.

There’s a tiny flicker of hope toward the end of the run. Around Sunday, August 23rd, a long-period, 16-second SSW groundswell shows up, pushing in at 3 ft. The combined energy is moderate at 585, but the wind is still a moderate cross-shore from the ENE. It’s cleaner than the rest, but still not what you’d call “good.” The same pattern continues into the final days, with the same SSW swell and moderate cross-shore winds, but the surf quality never gets a green light.

So, what’s the verdict? There are no good surf options in this 16-day window. The winds are relentless, the swell either too small, too short-period, or blown out by a gale. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the best of a bad lot is probably the morning of Sunday, August 23rd, with that 3 ft SSW groundswell and a moderate breeze, but don’t expect much. It’s a tough run, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more