Nimitz Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got one spot on the radar for the next couple of weeks, and it’s a mixed bag, so let’s break it down.

The window opens with a little bit of swell, but honestly, the first few days are a tough sell. The forecast is calling for a lot of onshore and cross-off breezes that are just going to mess with the surface. The real standout, the one that’s got me talking, is Sunday afternoon, September 6th. That’s when we get a bit of a magic window. The wind is gonna ease right off, turning into a gentle cross-off breeze, and the waves are going to be a solid 6ft with a good 12-second period. The combined swell energy is cranking at 2400 (moderate to strong), and the water is a warm 81°, which is pretty average for this time of year. That’s the session to aim for, but it’s only for the experienced crew – the swell is solid.

Before that, we’ve got some lumpy, cross-shore chop on the weekend, nothing to write home about. Then, after that Sunday, things get heavy. Monday, September 7th sees a massive spike in swell, with waves jumping to 12ft and then 18ft, but it comes with a howling cross-on wind that’s going to make it a complete washing machine. That’s strictly for the kamikaze crew or maybe the kite surfers, definitely not for paddling. The energy on that afternoon is a beastly 12469 (very strong).

After that big pulse, the week drops off into a long, flat spell. From Tuesday the 8th through to the 13th, we’re looking at tiny waves, mostly under 3ft, with periods all over the place. The wind stays mostly cross-off, but the swell is just too weak and inconsistent to bother. The energy values drop right down, some sessions barely hitting 118 (weak). It’s a real dead patch.

The second week shows a few flickers of life, but it’s all uncertain. Around Monday, September 14th and Tuesday, September 15th, we get a pulse of long-period groundswell (18-21 seconds) from the SW, but the wave heights are only around 3ft. The energy is moderate (around 900), but those super long periods mean the waves will be very straight and fat at a beach break like Nimitz. It’s a promising sign for the reefs or points, but for this spot, it’s more of a tease. The wind stays clean, but the swell just isn’t tall enough to be fun. The rest of the 16-day window trickles out with small, clean but weak surf.

So, to sum it up: the only real standout is that Sunday afternoon. Get on it if you’re experienced. Otherwise, it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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