Onrus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Onrus over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, the outlook for Onrus is a bit of a mixed bag, and I’d say the first week is largely a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. There’s plenty of swell energy, with some serious numbers in the mix (like 1104 to 5680), but the wind is just plain cruel for most of it. We’re looking at a long gap of poor conditions from the start all the way through to the end of the first week. You’ve got solid SW groundswells, but the wind is hammering it from the ESE and E, creating lumpy, cross-onshore junk. Even when the swell bumps up to 8 ft on Saturday the 12th, with a 16-second period, the onshore wind kills it.

The water is sitting at 59°F, which is about a degree and a half colder than usual for this time of year – a bit nippy.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday the 14th. The swell drops to a more manageable 3 ft to 4 ft from the SW (12-second period), but the magic is in the wind. We get a strong offshore from the NW, making for clean conditions. It’s a bit marginal on size and the strong wind will make it hard to paddle into, but it’s the cleanest surf we’ll see all week. The energy is moderate at 531.

Tuesday the 15th keeps that offshore NW wind, but the swell is a bit of a mess. The morning has a short-period 6 ft W swell (6 seconds) that won’t hold up well. The afternoon brings a much better 5 ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, but again that strong offshore will make it a battle to get out. Worth a look if you’re an experienced local who knows the paddle-out channels.

After that, we get another grim run of onshore and cross-onshore winds through the end of the week, with swell getting way too big for comfort, hitting 8 ft on Friday the 18th with a 16-second period – but it’s just blown-out, lumpy junk.

The stand-out window arrives on Thursday the 24th of September. This is the one to circle. The swell settles to a nice 6 ft from the SW with a solid 13-second period, and the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. The combined energy is moderate at 1182, but the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the cleanest, most lined-up the break will look all forecast. For the intermediate crew, that 6 ft might be a bit of a handful, but for the experienced surfer, it’s the best on offer.

Before that, on Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd, we get a few smaller windows. The 21st has light cross-shore winds and a 5 ft to 6 ft SW swell, but the energy is low (607 to 772), and it’s only marginal.

Overall, you have to be patient. The first week is mostly a wash-out. Thursday the 24th is the real standout. The swell direction is solid from the SW, which is the optimum for Onrus, and that glassy wind is a gift. It won't be perfect for beginners at that size, but for anyone else, it’s your day.

Rusty.

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