North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for North Beach. Let’s get into it.

Straight up, the next 16 days are a mixed bag. We’ve got a massive pulse of swell coming in, but the wind is going to be our enemy for most of the run. There’s a whole lot of nothing in the first few days, and then a long stretch of messy, blown-out conditions. The highlight is a narrow window of clean, offshore wind and a solid swell, but it’s a long way out.

Sunday morning kicks it off with a small 4ft swell from the east at 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (440), but it’s off to a rough start. Light rain and a light onshore breeze, but the report says it’s marginal. By Sunday afternoon, it’s a flat 3ft and poor. Monday the 7th is where it gets interesting. We get a monster 10ft south swell, long period at 17 seconds, and the energy is massive (4465). That’s a huge groundswell. But here’s the catch – it’s predicted to be too big for the break, and the wind is cross-shore in the morning. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s likely a washing machine. For the average surfer, that’s a hard pass.

From Monday afternoon all the way through to the 17th, it’s a brutal stretch of cross-onshore and onshore winds. The swell sizes vary from 3ft to 8ft, but the wind is just ruining it. The combined energy stays moderate to strong (say 233 to 1176), but the reports are all “poor” or “marginal.” It’s frustrating, because there’s swell in the water, but it’s blown out. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird.

Then, on Friday the 18th, we get a reprieve. The morning session looks like the standout for the whole run. The wind swings offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, and we get a 7ft swell from the SSE at 7 seconds. The energy is strong (743). The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s what we’ve been waiting for. The wind is gentle offshore, so it’ll be clean. The swell is solid, but it’s a short period, so it won’t be the most powerful thing, but it’ll be punchy. The break is a beach/pier, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be the best we’ve seen. The downside? It’s still a week and a half away, so keep your fingers crossed. The afternoon gets a little messier with cross-offshore wind, but still okay.

The next day, Saturday the 19th afternoon, also looks promising. Light offshore wind from the SSW at 6 mph with a 7ft swell from the ESE at 9 seconds (876 energy). That’s another clean session with good size. The morning is lighter with cross-shore wind, but the afternoon is the time to be out.

So, the call: If you’ve got the patience and the flexibility, wait for the 18th morning or the 19th afternoon at North Beach. Those are the only windows where the wind and swell align properly. The rest of the time, you’re either fighting the wind or dealing with a swell that’s either too big or too small. It’s a long wait, but it’ll be worth it.

Rusty.

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