Nimitz Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again with the imperial take. This is the whole run at Nimitz Beach and nowhere else, so we're living and dying with one break. To be fair, it’s a tough hand to play.

Right now, we’re looking at a small, drawn-out pattern. South-west groundswell is trying to show up, but it’s just not got the size or the conditions to back it up. The water temp is about 82°, which is right where it should be for this time of year, totally average.

The first few days are a slow grind. Saturday the 12th, we’ve got a tiny 2ft south-west groundswell with a real nice 16-second interval, building energy up to 256. That’s light. Wind is a light east cross-shore, so it’s a little rippled and messy. This is a reef that’s inconsistent and rarely works, and this little pulse won’t change that. It's marginal at best. Sunday gets glassy in the afternoon but the swell is a paltry 1ft – almost flat.

Monday the 14th is a washout with moderate winds. You’re looking at a couple of days of “poor” until a real moment Tuesday the 15th. That morning we get a 3ft south-west swell, period a solid 20 seconds, and combined energy jumps to 624 – that’s moderate power. The wind turns cross-offshore from the east, cleaning the faces up proper. For this inconsistent little reef break, that’s your best shot of the first week. It’s small, but it will be clean.

From the 16th through the 20th, the swell sits around 3ft to 4ft but the wind cranks up to a stiff 19 to 22 mile-per-hour breeze from the east-northeast. It stays cross-off, so it’s technically clean, but it’s a windy paddle for small waves that will feel blown out.

Then Monday the 21st of September brings a shift – the swell jumps to 6ft from the east, but it’s short period, only 7 seconds. Energy hits 685, so there’s strength, but it’s a messy windswell. At that size for a reef, you’re in expert-only territory and the 19 mile-per-hour cross-off wind makes it a real handful. That’s kite-surfing territory more than paddle surfing.

The second week trails off. The 23rd of September morning has a shot with a 6ft east swell, still short period, but the wind drops to a light 3 mph cross-on. The combined energy is high at 946, so there will be lumps, but it’ll be bumpy. After that it’s back to 3ft and relentless 19 mile-per-hour winds – just not worth it.

If you’re picking your window, it’s Tuesday the 15th morning. Small, clean, cross-off – the only good moment on a spot that doesn’t give them up easy.

Rusty.

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