Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got a look at what’s coming up for us at Point Arena.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a pretty rough start. The beginning of the forecast is dead quiet. From Monday, August 31st, all the way through the first week of September, there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is small, the period is short, and the wind is all over the place. We’ve got a few days of poor surf conditions with a combined energy reading in the low hundreds (232 to 373), which is weak and messy. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing special.

Things start to get a little interesting on Thursday, September 3rd. The swell picks up slightly to around 5ft from the WNW, with a period of 9-10 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 388 to 697. It’s still marginal but the wind is light, so the afternoon might offer a few clean-ish lines. Not a standout, but it’s the first sign of life.

Friday, September 4th, looks similar. The NW swell holds at 5ft, period 10 seconds, and the wind turns cross-off in the afternoon. That’s clean surf, but the energy is still only moderate (530). It’s a decent session for a paddle, but nothing to get too excited about.

The real story here is the second week. Around Monday, September 7th, we start to see a building trend. The swell climbs to 6ft from the NW, period a short 7 seconds, but the wind is clean. The combined energy is still moderate (372). Then on Tuesday, September 8th, the afternoon session is a solid 8ft NW swell, period 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-off. That’s clean, and the energy jumps to 886. This is where it starts to get good.

But the best is yet to come. From Wednesday, September 9th, through to Sunday, September 13th, the swell really kicks in. We’re talking 8ft to 10ft NW swells, periods of 9-10 seconds, and the combined energy is well into the strong range (1317 to 1872). The wind is mostly light, with some glassy conditions on Sunday afternoon. That’s a standout session: 12ft swell from the NW, period 9 seconds, and the wind is calm. The energy is huge (2235). This is big, powerful surf. It’s going to be a heavy, deep-water reef break, so this is for experienced surfers only. The swell direction is perfect for the break, but the size is really pushing it.

Then from Monday, September 14th, to Tuesday, September 15th, the swell is just massive. 13ft NW swell, period 9 seconds, with cross-off winds. The energy is enormous (2956). This is a serious, big-wave session. It’s clean, but it’s only for the brave. The break is rated as too big for the spot, so it’s going to be a wild, dangerous day.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The second week is where it’s at. The standout is Sunday, September 13th, with that glassy, 12ft NW swell. It’s a perfect, powerful day for the experienced crew. The energy is massive, the wind is off, and the swell is directed right at the reef. Just be ready for a heavy session.

Rusty.

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