Out Front Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve had a look at the charts for the local stretch, and I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a lean run. We’re looking at a 16-day window where the ocean just isn’t cooperating. The first sniff of anything even remotely surfable doesn’t show up until the 20th of August, so we’re talking about a long, dry spell for almost two weeks. After that, it’s a single window of mediocre conditions. Hold tight.

The only spot on the radar is Out Front. It’s a sandbar, so it’s soft and forgiving, but it’s also inconsistent and can get crowded. Water temp is sitting at 78°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the steamer just yet.

From now until the 20th of August, it’s essentially flat. Most days show tiny swell under 2 ft, short period windswell, and a lot of cross-onshore or cross-chop. The wind is either too strong or from the wrong direction. There’s a few clean mornings—like the 9th, 11th, 12th, and 14th—but with waves barely hitting 0.7 ft to 2 ft, you’d be dragging your knuckles. The combined swell energy is in the single digits or low twenties (e.g. 8, 18, 22), which is weak. Not worth paddling out for.

The first real glimmer comes on Thursday the 20th of August. The morning is still poor, but by the afternoon things shift. We get a clean window with offshore wind from the NW at 6 mph, and the swell bumps up to 2 ft from the ESE. The period is a tidy 10 seconds, and the combined energy hits 135 (moderate). It’s described as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so we’re not talking about a classic. The wind is light and clean, though, so the surface will be glassy. That’s the best we’re going to get. The swell direction (ESE) is a good match for the optimum (ESE), so it should line up.

After that, the 21st and 22nd look like a step back into messy, cross-shore junk with short period windswell. The 21st afternoon has a 3 ft S swell, but it’s a 5-second period and the wind is cross, so it’ll be a lumpy mess. The energy is only 63 (weak). Not worth your time.

So, to sum it up: the only real standout is the Thursday 20th of August afternoon at Out Front. It’s clean, light offshore, and the swell is aiming right. It’s not big, it’s not perfect, but it’s the only game in town. Everything else is a write-off. The ocean is in a funk, but it never stays flat forever. Keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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