Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Point Arena.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a quiet start. The first solid-looking surf window doesn’t really open up until Sunday the 23rd, and even then, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The overall pattern has a pulse of swell building through the middle of the week, but it’s almost always paired with strong, onshore or cross-off winds that are going to mess up the surface. The water is sitting at a pretty average 58° for the time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there.

Saturday 22nd is a total write-off. We’ve got a tiny 3ft NW swell with a weak combined energy of 188, and solid NNW winds at 16 mph are making it a cross-off mess. Not worth paddling out for.

We get a small bump on Sunday 23rd morning, with a 6ft NW swell pumping the combined energy up to 517, but the wind is cross and bumpy at 12 mph. The afternoon cleans up a little (cross-off), but the swell period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s not going to have much push. The scores are still marginal at best.

Monday 24th is a tale of two swells. The morning has a 5ft NW swell, but it’s cross-on and messy. Then the afternoon sees a dramatic shift to a 2ft SW groundswell with a long 17-second period, pushing the combined energy to 373. That’s a cool, long-period pulse, but it’s tiny and the wind is light cross. Not really a goer.

From Tuesday 25th all the way through to Thursday 3rd September, the swell size is all over the place (2ft to 8ft), but the wind is relentless. Almost every session is tagged as “poor surf conditions” or “marginal.” The wind is consistently 12-22 mph from the NNW or NW, making it a constant cross-off or cross-shore chop. It’s a frustrating stretch for a point break that needs some clean conditions.

Now, the one standout in this whole 16-day window is Wednesday 2nd September afternoon. The swell is up to 8ft from the NW, the period is a solid 8 seconds, and the combined energy hits a huge 1050 – that’s some serious power. The wind is a clean cross-off from the NNW at 16 mph. This is the only time the conditions really line up. The swell direction (NW) matches the optimum direction for the break, and the clean wind will make for some big, powerful walls. But heads up: at 8ft, this is pushing into expert territory. It’s a big day for experienced surfers only. The crowds are likely to be there, as it’s a spot that’s “often” busy.

After that, the swell stays solid through Thursday 3rd but the wind picks back up to 19 mph, and by Friday 4th the size drops back down. The final few days slide into summer slop, with small 3ft swells and light winds.

So, to sum it up: the next week and a half is a write-off for clean, quality surf. The only real standout is that Wednesday 2nd September afternoon session. If you’re an expert, mark the calendar. For everyone else, the forecast doesn’t offer much else worth chasing.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty

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