Roads End Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this forecast for Roads End is a tough one to sugarcoat. We’re looking at a pretty long stretch of nothing special, with a bit of a tricky window right at the start and then a big block of poor conditions that just won’t let up.

The water temperature is a wild card right now. At 53°, it’s a whopping 5° colder than average for this time of year, which is very unusual. You’ll be needing a thick wetsuit for sure.

The first few days, starting Sunday the 19th, offer some moderate swell energy with readings around 510. The swell is a short-period 5 ft to 5 ft from the NW, bumping that combined energy up to 576 by Sunday afternoon. But the wind is a cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph, which is putting a bit of a chop on the surface. The forecast notes say it’s a marginal surf, so it’s not the cleanest. Monday the 20th is a bit similar, with cross-on winds from the NW at just 6 mph, keeping the swell around 5 ft to 5 ft, with energy around 601. The lighter wind makes it a little better, but the direction is still onshore-ish. Tuesday the 21st is a weird one – a 2 ft, 16-second long-period groundswell from the SW, but with a WNW cross-on breeze. That long period at a beach-and-reef spot can be tricky – it might be a bit too straight. The energy is moderate at 482.

Wednesday through Friday (22nd to 24th) are all similar: waist-high NW swell, light cross-on winds, and energy in the 360 to 600 range. The surf is there, but it’s mushy and not really worth getting excited about. Friday morning the 24th has a little more energy (584) and a clean onshore wind, but it’s still a marginal call.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Saturday the 25th onwards, the forecast goes downhill fast. We get a 2 ft, 22-second groundswell from the SW on Saturday morning, but the energy is only 492 and the wind is cross-on. By Saturday afternoon, the energy jumps to 761, but it’s a messy 2 ft swell with a 9 mph breeze making it choppy. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast”. Sunday the 26th is a bit better in the afternoon with a 3 ft, 19-second SW swell and 722 energy, but again, it’s cross-on.

From Monday the 27th all the way through to the end of the forecast on August 3rd, the story is the same: poor surf conditions. The swells are small (2 ft to 6 ft) and mostly short-period, with onshore or cross winds. The combined energy is moderate, hitting 911 on the 28th, but the wind is keeping it ugly. The wave comments just say “poor surf conditions” or “marginal surf forecast”. For a spot that’s exposed and has a cross-shore wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, the best of a bad lot is probably the first few days – Sunday the 19th through to Friday the 24th. The standout is a tough call, but I’d lean towards Friday morning the 24th. You’ve got a 5 ft NW swell with a 9-second period, a light onshore wind from the W, and the highest combined energy in that window at 584. It’s not world-class, but it’s the least messy option. Remember, this is Roads End, and it’s “fairly consistent” but crowds can happen. Given the overall quality, it’s not going to be a zoo.

The long gap from around the 25th through to the 3rd is a good seven days of nothing really worth chasing. The forecasts can change, but right now, I’d save your energy.

Rusty.

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