Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Onjuku has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the start of this run is a bit of a bummer. We're looking at a solid week of pretty ordinary conditions. The wind is mostly coming from the east and southeast, blowing right across or onshore, chopping up whatever swell is there. The water temp is sitting right around 80°, which is normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Friday the 14th kicks off with some chest-high waves at 5ft from the east, but with a 12 mph cross-onshore wind, it's a messy, choppy affair. The energy is weak at 588, and honestly, it's not worth paddling out for. This trend continues right through the weekend and into the following week. We get a bit of a cleaner look on Monday the 17th when the wind swings cross-offshore, but the waves are only knee-high and the period is a short, weak 8 seconds. The same goes for Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th – the waves are small and weak, but the cross-offshore wind does keep the surface clean. The swell energy is low, sitting between 186 and 338. It's a frustrating stretch, with a whole week of nothing to get excited about.

Then, things start to look a little more interesting late in the run. On Monday the 24th of August, we see a pulse of long-period groundswell starting to arrive. The swell hits 4ft from the southeast with a period of 15 seconds, and the energy jumps to 987. It's still a bit cross-shore, but the potential is there.

Now, here’s the standout. Tuesday the 25th of August is the day to circle on your calendar. We’ve got a solid 6ft southeast groundswell, with a very long 13-second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the north-northeast at 16 mph. The water will be clean, the energy is strong at 1084, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. The swell is getting a bit big for beginners at over 5ft, but for anyone with a bit of time in the water, this is the best on offer. The swell direction is from the southeast, which is right on the money for Onjuku’s optimum exposure. Later that afternoon, the swell builds to 7ft, but the wind swings cross-offshore and picks up, so the morning window is the one to aim for.

Wednesday the 26th keeps the size up with a solid 8ft southeast swell, but the wind goes light and cross-shore, and the period drops a touch. This is big, powerful stuff for experts only, and the energy is massive at 2319. The rest of the week looks like a return to lumpy, onshore conditions as the swell fades and the wind shifts around.

So, the long and short of it: we have a quiet, week-long wait for the real action. The best bet is the morning of Tuesday the 25th at Onjuku. It’s a proper groundswell with offshore winds, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts. After that, the swell stays big, but the wind gets tricky.

Stay patient, and be ready for that Tuesday.

Rusty.

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