Royal Palms State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a good, hard look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us. This is a pretty grim outlook overall for Royal Palms State Beach, so I'm just gonna level with you.

Right off the bat, we've got a major problem. For the entire 16-day window, there's almost nothing worth paddling out for. It's a long, dry spell with no real recommendations to speak of. The forecast is consistent in its mediocrity, so this blank run is, sadly, pretty normal for this setup right now. We're looking at over two weeks of small, weak, and messy conditions.

Let's start with Monday the 7th. The morning offers a 3.3ft south swell at 12 seconds, but it's coming with a cross-on wind from the WNW at 6 mph. The water here is a very unusual 72.7°F, which is about 6.3°F warmer than normal for this time of year – a real standout in an otherwise bleak picture. The combined swell energy is moderate at 594, but the conditions are already described as marginal. It goes downhill from there. The afternoon sees the wind pick up to 16 mph, making a mess of the 3.6ft SSW swell.

The rest of the first week and into the second is a tragic repeat. Tuesday the 8th through Sunday the 14th? Forget it. Swell sizes hover around 1.0ft to 2.6ft, the period is all over the place, and it’s mostly cross-onshore or onshore wind. The combined energy levels are weak to moderate, sitting between 123 and 337. There’s no quality, no power, just bump and chop. The morning of the 13th brings a 2.6ft west swell but with a shockingly short 7-second period and a cross wind.

As we push into the third week, there’s a tiny flicker of hope. On Thursday morning, September 17th, the forecast shows a glassy morning with a SSW swell of 1.6ft at a decent 16 seconds. The combined energy is 284. For the first time, the word "surfable" appears. But it's described as "very ordinary conditions" – barely a 1 out of 10. And it's followed by the usual afternoon chop.

The final days, from the 18th to the 22nd, are more of the same. The morning of Monday the 21st shows a slight improvement to a 2.6ft SW swell at 18 seconds, with light offshore wind and moderate combined energy of 404. It’s described as “marginal,” but in the context of this entire bleak outlook, that’s probably the best we’re going to get. Given the long period (18-19 seconds) and the reef setup here, it could offer a few clean lines, but don't expect much. The afternoon wind will still ruin it.

So, here’s the bottom line: there are no standouts. No days to circle on the calendar. The only thing worth mentioning is that incredibly warm water (72.7°F) on the 7th – but you’ll be sitting in it watching a choppy ocean. If the swell and wind align on the morning of the 21st, that’s your best bet for a marginal session. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and go find something else to do. Conditions like this suit a kite surfer far more than a paddle surfer.

See you out there when it gets better.

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