Right and Left Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Right and Left Side.

Honestly, things start out pretty messy. We’ve got a run of poor conditions stretching from Sunday the 16th through most of the coming week. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, there’s a real risk of thunderstorms, and the surf is small and weak for the most part. The energy is there, but it’s not organized. The water temp is 84°, which is about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a spring suit.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday morning, the 18th of August. It’s looking glassy, with the wind dropping right out. The swell is only around 4ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds. It’s not a world-beater, but if you can get out early and the tide plays nice, it’s a chance at some clean if not super rippable waves. The combined energy is moderate at 207.

From Tuesday, it’s back to the grind. We’ve got a solid stretch of poor days, with that cross-chop and gusty winds hanging around all the way through Friday the 21st. The swell stays in the 3ft range, and the energy drops off a bit.

Then things look like they could start to change. Around Saturday the 22nd, we see a pulse of longer period swell coming in from the east and northeast, with periods jumping up to 12 seconds. The wave heights are over 4ft, and the energy is getting strong (564 in the morning). The wind is still cross, which is not ideal, but it’s looking a lot better than what we’ve had. Keep an eye on the Saturday morning session.

The real potential, though, is tipping into the following week. From Tuesday the 25th, we’ve got a solid run of bigger swell. We’re looking at 6ft to 6ft waves from the north on Tuesday, with the period extending to 13 and even 14 seconds. The energy readings are way up, hitting over 1000. This is the most substantial swell we see in the whole window. The problem is, the wind is still mostly cross-shore, making things a little lumpy. If that wind cleans up, this could be the standout period.

There’s a moment on Wednesday morning the 26th that looks like it might be the best of the lot – 6ft from the NNW with a 13-second period and a gentle cross-shore breeze. The energy is strong (1040). It’s a real chance for some proper waves, but you’ll need to pick your corners.

After that, the end of the month gets wild. We see a big jump in size around the 29th of August, with 10ft surf on the cards. But with that comes a strong breeze and messy, cross-shore conditions. This looks more like a battle than a surf session right now. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s going to be closing out all over the place. If you’ve got a twin tip, you might be in business, but for the paddle surfer, it’s a lot of work for not much reward.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a write-off. The second week, particularly around the 25th and 26th, has real potential if the wind plays ball. And the final days are just too messy and big to recommend.

Rusty out.

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