Putsborough Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's coming up at Putsborough.

Honestly, the next week and a half or so looks pretty grim. The surf just isn't there, and when it does show, the wind has got it all messed up. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions right through until the end of the first week of September. You’ll be better off checking the long-range stuff, which is looking interesting but is still a way off.

Starting from Monday the 24th of August right through the rest of the month and into the first week of September, we’ve got a persistent run of tiny, weak swell. The wave energy is almost non-existent, with readings mostly in the double digits – that’s a pretty clear sign to leave the board at home. The wind is mostly cross-off or cross-shore, which is usually okay, but there’s simply no swell to work with. Even when a little bit of energy shows up on the 27th (Thursday afternoon), with a combined energy of 181, the wind goes cross-on and it gets choppy.

The same story continues into the next week. There's a bit of a bump in size around the 2nd and 3rd of September, with swell hitting over 7 feet, but the wind stays messy and cross-shore or cross-on. On the 2nd, we're looking at 8 ft from the WSW with 565 energy, but it’s got that strong cross-off wind which can make it ugly. By the 3rd, it's 8 ft from the west with 866 energy, but it’s lumpy and cross-on. At these sizes with this wind, you’d probably have a better time with a kite than a paddleboard.

Now, there’s a glimmer of hope in the second week. The standout period is around Sunday, the 6th of September and into Monday the 7th. On Sunday, we get an incredible long-period groundswell coming in from the WSW, with a period of 19 seconds and wave energy reading a solid 621. It’s showing 3 ft, but that kind of period can really exaggerate the wave size on the right bank. The wind is offshore from the NNW – that’s the clean stuff. This is the best window. Monday the 7th looks promising too, with that same WSW groundswell holding at 6 ft and a period of 14 seconds, giving us a healthy 1467 energy reading. It’s a bit more cross-shore by the afternoon, but the morning looks good if that northerly wind sticks.

Keep in mind, though, both these days have a "marginal" tag on the forecast, so it’s not a lock. Also, that very long period (19 seconds) can make a beach break like Putsborough a bit straight and shifty – it’s the kind of swell that really prefers a point or a reef to wrap around. It’s worth a look for sure, but don’t stake your weekend on it just yet.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

Rusty.

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