120th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table.

Honestly, mate, it’s a flat spell and it’s gonna be a long one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but there’s nothing really worth paddling out for. The first real chance to even think about wetting a suit is on Sunday afternoon the 9th of August, and even then, it’s barely a whisper.

We’re stuck with tiny, weak energy for the whole run. The combined swell energy is mostly sitting in the low teens to low 40s (8 to 66), which is pretty weak stuff. The swell height barely scrapes 3 ft, and the period is short, mostly 4 to 6 seconds – that’s windswell junk, not groundswell. For the vast majority of the time, the comment is “poor surf conditions.”

Let’s walk through it. The early days, Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th, are a write-off. Small, short-period swell with cross-off or cross winds. Saturday the 8th is more of the same, 2 ft from the S and SW winds keeping it clean but tiny.

Sunday the 9th is where we get the closest thing to a standout, but it’s a real stretch. 120th Street (beach/jetty) is the only break in the file. On Sunday morning, we’ve got a light offshore breeze from the WSW at 10 km/h, which will clean it right up. The swell is 2 ft from the SSE with a 6-second period, and the combined energy is just 44. Sunday afternoon sees the breeze swing to a gentle cross-off, with a slightly better energy of 60, but the conditions are only called “surfable waves but very ordinary.” If you’re desperate for a slide on a longboard or a foiler, that Sunday arvo is your best bet. But don’t expect much.

After that, Monday the 10th through to Saturday the 16th of August is a total blank. The swell drops to 0.7 ft or 1 ft, energy falls into single digits, and we get a mix of cross and glassy conditions on tiny, unridable lumps. There’s a few glassy moments – Tuesday the 11th afternoon and Wednesday the 12th morning – but with only 2 ft and 22 or 21 energy, it’s a lake.

The period from Sunday the 17th to Friday the 21st of August shows a slight lift, but it’s still poor. Swell bumps up to 2 ft or 2 ft, but it’s short-period and mostly cross-shore chop. Tuesday the 18th morning has a 9-second period from the SE, but it’s only 1 ft with a cross wind. Thursday the 20th morning is glassy, but it’s 1 ft.

The only real standout is that Sunday afternoon the 9th of August at 120th Street. Clean, light winds, and a tiny bit of energy. It’s not good surf, but it’s the best on offer in a long, flat run.

Water temp is sitting at 76°, which is about average for this time of year, no real anomaly to speak of.

This is one of those stretches where the ocean just goes to sleep. It happens. Forecasts can change, but for now, keep the board in the car and the wax in the wrapper.

Rusty.

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