Roads End Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions with onshore and cross-shore winds messing up what little swell we have. The pattern is mostly weak, short-period windswell that’s just not holding its shape. The real standout, the one that has my blood pumping, is a pulse of stronger, longer-period energy that shows up in the second week. It’s a long way out, but it’s got potential.

We’ll start at Roads End, the only game in town. On Friday, July 31st, it’s a slow start. A weak 2ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period rolls in, but the cross-on NW breeze at 6 mph is just enough to mess it up. The energy is weak (325), and it’s marginal at best. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on.

Saturday and Sunday, August 1st and 2nd, are a write-off. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the WNW on Sunday, but the period drops to 8-9 seconds and the wind is still cross-on or cross-shore, leaving it choppy and poor. We get a bit of a bump in energy on Sunday afternoon (550), but it’s not clean.

The whole first week of August is more of the same. Monday the 3rd through Thursday the 6th sees chest-high waves around 5ft to 6ft from the NW, but the period stays short (7-8 seconds) and the wind is a constant cross-shore or cross-on breeze. The energy gets moderate (back up to 522 on Thursday afternoon), but the quality is poor. There’s a brief moment on Friday morning, August 7th, where the wind goes light and offshore from the WNW, but the swell is down to 4ft and the period is short, so it’s only marginal.

The weekend of August 8th-9th is small again, with 3ft and 2ft waves, and the wind is back onshore. Not worth paddling out for.

Then, we hit the real deal. On Thursday, August 14th, the morning shows a solid 7ft swell from the NW with a 13-second period. The combined energy jumps to a very strong 1607. That’s a proper groundswell. The catch? The wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph. It’s a marginal rating because of the chop, but that’s a punchy, powerful wave for experienced surfers only. Over 8ft, it’s expert territory. This is the best on offer, but it’s a bit of a battle with the wind. Friday morning, August 15th, is similar, with 6ft from the NW at 12 seconds, energy still strong at 1217. The wind is a bit stronger at 15 mph, so it’s a tough call.

So, to sum it up: the first 12 days are a slog, with poor surf from messy, short-period waves. The clear standout is that strong swell on August 14th and 15th. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s long-period, but that cross-shore wind means you’ll be working for it. That’s a session for the big boys and girls. For everyone else, maybe wait for the wind to shift.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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