North Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – we’re looking at a pretty grim stretch ahead. The forecast window is 16 days long, but don't get your hopes up. There’s a big empty gap right at the start with no surf worth mentioning until we get into the second week.

We’re looking at North Bar as the only spot on the cards, and honestly, it’s a tough one. The water temp is sitting at 71°F which is about normal for this time of year, so at least that’s comfortable. But the swell is tiny and weak. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a measly 27 at the start, and it barely climbs into the moderate range as we go on.

For the first week, from Tuesday the 11th right through to Sunday the 17th, it’s pretty much a write-off. We’ve got swell heights mostly under 2ft, and the periods are short – between 6 and 9 seconds. That’s weak, wind-swell stuff. There’s some offshore wind here and there, but the waves just aren’t there to ride. We’re talking about a full 7 days with nothing worth paddling out for.

The action, if you can call it that, starts to pick up very slightly from Monday the 18th of August. We finally see a bit of energy, with the combined swell energy climbing to 39 on Tuesday morning, and then hitting 59 on Wednesday the 19th. The swell height stays small, around 1ft to 2ft, coming from the SE with a period that finally stretches to 10 and then 12 seconds – that’s a bit more like a groundswell. The wind on Wednesday morning is a light cross-off from the SSW, so it’ll be clean, tiny waves. Later that afternoon, the wind picks up to a moderate breeze from the S, but it’s still cross-off, keeping it clean.

The best looking day in this whole outlook is probably Wednesday, 19th August. The swell is 2ft from the SE with a period of 12 seconds, giving it a bit more shape than the rest. The combined energy is 68 (moderate) and the morning has a light breeze with clean conditions. But let’s be real, 2ft is tiny. It’s a longboard-only kind of day. Because the period is a bit longer, the sets might have a bit of push, but the beach-and-reef setup here might make it a bit straight. Crowds are possible too, as it’s listed as "sometimes" busy.

After that, the energy drops back down. Thursday the 20th has some offshore wind but the swell is weak. Friday the 21st through to the end of the window on the 26th, we’re back to tiny, weak swells under 2ft, with periods dropping back to 8-9 seconds. The wind is often offshore or cross-off, but the wave size just isn't there. The combined energy mostly sits in the 30-40 range, which is weak.

Overall, if you’ve got a foamie and you’re desperate, Wednesday the 19th of August morning is your best bet. For everyone else, this is a solid 16-day stretch to find something else to do. Forecasts can change, and it’s often a bit more consistent, but right now it’s a bleak run.

Rusty.

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