Pea Break Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a solid stretch ahead focused on one spot, and it’s going to be a mixed bag of heavy, powerful swell and some tricky wind.

Overall Pattern

We’re looking at a long run of significant, meaty SW groundswell hitting the coast. The first few days are the real deal, with a massive pulse of energy rolling in. However, the winds are going to be the main character here, and they are not always our friend. The best windows are going to be tight, mostly early in the mornings when the breeze is lightest. After that, it’s going to get messy and blown out for a lot of the period. The water is sitting at 66°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so the spring suit might be a little more comfortable than you’d expect.

The Breakdown

Pea Break (reef, advanced)
The main event kicks off Friday morning, August 21st. We’ve got a serious 12 ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 14-second period. The wave energy is absolutely cranking (4862), and with a light, clean cross-offshore breeze from the east, it’s going to be lined up and powerful. This is for experienced surfers only – the size and the reef make it a no-go for anyone not solid. The afternoon holds the same size, but the wind swings more cross-off from the SSW, still clean but a little stronger.

Saturday, August 22nd, the swell is still chunky, dropping from 10 ft to 8 ft through the day. The morning is clean with a S cross-off, but the strength of the wind is going to make it challenging. It’s still a big wave reef break, so it’s only for the crew. The afternoon gets bumpier as the wind picks up to 19 mph.

Sunday, August 23rd, the swell eases into the 8 ft range, but we’ve got rain showers and a solid 12-16 mph S to SSW wind. It’s cross-off, so the face will be clean, but the surface is going to be a bit lumpy. Still a decent wave for the advanced crowd.

Monday, August 24th, the swell is still 8 ft to 10 ft, but the wind shifts to a light cross-on from the N, then onshore from the NW in the afternoon. Quality drops. Tuesday, August 25th, is a write-off – strong onshore winds and messy conditions.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday, August 26th, we get a massive spike in swell energy. The morning sees a 16 ft WSW groundswell with a 17-second period. The energy reading is off the charts (15162). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSW. This is a full-on, big-wave day for experts only. It’s going to be a true spectacle. The afternoon is a total blowout with 22 mph cross-shore winds, so get your session in early.

The rest of the week into the first weekend is a mixed bag of big, messy swell and strong cross-shore winds. The surf quality will be poor for the most part. There’s a brief window of relief on Friday, August 28th, with a drop to 7-8 ft SW swell and gentle offshore winds from the SE and SSE. That morning session will be the cleanest, most manageable day of the second week.

From Saturday, August 29th, onwards, the wind becomes a real problem. We’re looking at strong onshore and cross-shore winds, with the swell size fluctuating between 7 ft and 20 ft. The energy is consistently high, but the conditions are going to be ugly. The 5th and 6th of September see a massive 20 ft swell with a shorter 12-second period, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it a lumpy, messy, and dangerous proposition. This setup is really more for the kite surfers than paddle surfers, given the size and the wind.

The Pick

If you’re an expert, the absolute standout is Friday morning, August 21st at Pea Break. The combination of a solid 12 ft SW groundswell, long 14-second period, and clean, light offshore wind is as good as it gets. The energy is pumping (4862), and it’s going to be a day to remember. The only other glimmer is Friday morning, August 28th, when the swell has dropped and the offshore winds are back, making for a much cleaner but smaller session.

Rusty.

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