Newport-South Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a waiting game. We’ve got a stretch of small, wonky surf to start, and it’s not really until the first week of September that things start to look like they’re waking up.

Right out of the gate, Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are pretty much a write-off. We’re looking at ankle-to-knee-high dribble in the 2ft to 2ft range, with a cross-onshore breeze messing with the surface. The swell energy is weak, sitting around 231 and 270 on the scale. You’re not missing anything.

The weekend isn't much better. Saturday the 29th is tiny, and even though the wind tries to drop off, there’s just not enough juice. Sunday the 30th bumps up slightly to around 3ft, but it’s still cross-onshore and the energy is only moderate – about 484. It’s a “maybe if you’re desperate” kind of surf.

Now, Monday the 31st is where things get interesting. The morning has that magic word: glass. The wind goes light and the surface cleans right up. Swell is still small at around 2ft, but it’s a long-period SW groundswell at 15 seconds. The energy is moderate (273), and for a beach break like Newport-South Beach, that long period might make it a bit closey, but it’ll be the best the start of the week has to offer. That’s your pick for Monday morning.

Then we hit a bit of a lull again. Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept 1st and 2nd) see a bump in height to over 4ft, but the period drops to a junky 9 seconds, and the wind just keeps messing with it. It’s a classic case of more water moving but no real shape. The energy is moderate, in the 380-420 range, but it’s not doing anyone any favors.

Finally, the tide starts to turn on Thursday, September 3rd. The morning is still a bit suspect, but the afternoon is where it’s at. The wind goes glassy, the swell is around 5ft from the NW with a 10-second period, and the energy jumps up to a solid 644. This is the kind of surf you wait for. It’s still a little too big for the true beginners, but the cleaner conditions will make it a fun, punchy day.

Friday the 4th sees the swell peak. It’s up to 6ft to 6ft from the NW, but that’s when the cross-shore wind gets up. The energy is now strong, ranging from 815 to over 1000. The morning is cleaner than the afternoon, so get out early if you can. This is pushing into the size where it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a step up from Thursday, with more grunt but more wind too.

Saturday the 5th has similar energy, but the swell mixes up with a longer period SW component in the afternoon, though the wind stays cross-shore. It’s still around 5ft in the morning, but the afternoon drops back to 3ft. The morning will be the better call for size, but the wind will be a factor.

Sunday the 6th brings some relief. We’ve got a clean morning with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE, and 3ft of SW groundswell at 15 seconds. The energy is still strong (630). That’s a super clean, classic little beach break day.

Then we go into a bit of a flat spell again. Monday and Tuesday (Sept 7th and 8th) are small and onshore, nothing to write home about. But then Wednesday the 9th has a promising morning: clean with an offshore breeze, 3ft of WNW groundswell. Good call.

Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th both have glassy mornings on offer. The swell is back down to that 3ft range, but it’s a long-period SW swell, and the lack of wind makes everything better. Both mornings have high energy readings in the 664 and 538 range respectively, but it’s those glassy conditions that really sell it. These are your other standouts for clean, fun waves.

So, to be straight with you: Monday the 31st is your best early call. But the real standout is Thursday afternoon, September 3rd. The combo of pace, size and clean conditions makes it the pick of the fortnight. It’s a promise, but with long-range stuff, you always need to keep an eye on it. Friday the 4th is bigger but windier, and those glassy mornings on the 10th and 11th are solid backup plans.

Rusty.

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