Nahant Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it, just you and me and the ocean.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start to the forecast window. The first actual surf recommendation pops up on Sunday morning, September 6th, at Nahant Beach. Before that, we’re looking at a gap with no decent surf on offer, so don’t bother paddling out until then. The whole period is pretty quiet, with nothing that really screams "standout," but there are a few moments that might get a wave-starved surfer out of bed.

Sunday, September 6th sees a 5 ft swell from the ENE with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 409 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a light cross-shore from the north at 6 mph, keeping things reasonably clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so it’s not going to be anything special, but it’s surfable. The crowd profile says "often," so expect company. The water temperature is generally about average for the time of year.

After that, the surf drops off a cliff. From Monday, September 7th, all the way through to Wednesday, September 16th, the wave heights are tiny, mostly 0.7 ft to 2 ft, with very low energy (values in the single digits to low 30s). The wind is clean and offshore at times, but there’s just no swell to work with. It’s a long, quiet stretch, so don’t hold your breath.

Thursday, September 17th brings a bit more life. The morning shows a 4 ft swell from the east, but it’s a short-period 5 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 93. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not clean. The afternoon jumps to 5 ft from the east, but the wind switches to straight onshore, ruining any chance of quality. Not a good one.

Friday, September 18th is the most interesting day of the whole window. The morning sees a 8 ft swell from the east with a 7-second period. The combined energy jumps to 554 (strong wave energy). The wind is a light cross-on from the ENE at 6 mph, so it’s not perfect, but not awful. Still, with 8 ft, this is expert territory, and the short period (under 8 seconds) means it’ll be a bit lumpy and less powerful. The afternoon keeps the 8 ft and 8-second period, with energy at 699 (strong), but the wind picks up from the northeast at 9 mph, making it choppier. Because of the size and the wind, this setup might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Saturday, September 19th still has size, with 5 ft in the morning and 5 ft in the afternoon, but the wind is cross-on and onshore, so it’s messy. The energy is still strong (440 and 423), but the quality is poor.

The final days, September 20th and 21st, drop back down to 3 ft and 3 ft, with moderate energy. The wind on the 21st finally turns cross-off from the southwest, giving you clean conditions, but the swell is too small to get excited about.

So, the best on offer is Friday, September 18th for the biggest swell, but it’s a short-period, onshore-challenged day for experts only. If you’re a beginner, stick to the tiny clean days early on, but don’t expect much. The rest of the window is a write-off.

Rusty.

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