Sakawa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the Sakawa River outlook for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting right around 79°, which is perfectly normal for this time of year. No surprises there.

Honestly, the first week and a bit is a tough one for Sakawa River. We’re looking at a long, dry spell. From Tuesday the 21st through to Friday the 25th, the swell is barely a ripple, mostly 0.7ft to 1.0ft from the ESE or SE, with a period of 10-11 seconds. The combined energy is weak, in the 20 to 80 range, and the wind is consistently cross-on. It’s not going to be worth paddling out. The conditions are described as "poor surf conditions" across the board, and the score is flat zero. That’s a stretch of five days with nothing to ride.

We get a small glimmer on Sunday the 26th afternoon. The swell bumps up to 1ft from the SE, period 14 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. The combined energy hits 133 (moderate), and it’s described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." The score is a 1. It’s not going to set the world on fire, but if you’re desperate for a float, the glassy wind will make it look clean. Monday the 27th morning and afternoon is a similar story: 2ft from the S, 9-second period, glassy winds, with a score of 1. The energy is moderate (166-176). It’s still very ordinary though.

Another gap hits from Tuesday the 28th through to Friday the 31st of July. The wind mostly stays cross-on or cross, and the swell is small and weak. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 29th morning with glassy conditions, but the swell is only 1ft. The scores are all 0 or 1 for poor surf. The combined energy is mostly under 200, which is weak to moderate.

Now, for the first weekend of August, things start to look interesting, but it’s still a bit of a tease. Saturday the 1st of August has a slight bump in energy (479 and 418), with the swell 2-3ft from the SSE, period 11-14 seconds. The wind is cross, and the conditions are "marginal." The scores are 1 each. It’s not a green light, but the energy is moderate.

The standout period is clearly Sunday the 2nd of August through Tuesday the 4th of August. This is the best on offer, but it’s over a week away, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

On Sunday the 2nd of August, the swell picks up to 3ft from the S, period 14-17 seconds. The morning is cross, but the afternoon turns cross-off with a clean wind. The combined energy soars to 1073 (strong). The score is a 2. That’s a solid, surfable day.

Monday the 3rd of August is the real highlight. The morning sees a clean 6ft swell from the S, period 14 seconds, with cross-off winds and a light air. The combined energy is a massive 1224 (very strong). The conditions are "expect very good surf conditions," and the score is a 3. This is the best wave of the forecast. The swell is 6ft, which is fine for intermediate and experienced surfers, but it’s getting a bit big for beginners. The period is 14 seconds, which is a nice groundswell, and it will hold shape well at a river mouth setup like this. The afternoon is a little less clean, but the morning is the one to aim for.

Tuesday the 4th of August morning is also a strong option. It’s 5ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds, with glassy conditions and a 3 score. The combined energy is 1117 (very strong). This is another top session, but the afternoon turns cross-on and drops off, so get it early.

Wind & Crowd: On the best days, the wind is offshore or glassy, which is a major positive for clean waves. The break is a river mouth, which can be great for the long-period swell (14-17 seconds) we’re seeing. That long period might make the wave a bit more lined up than a typical beach break. The crowd level is listed as "sometimes," so expect a few locals out, but it’s not always packed.

The Bottom Line: If you can wait, the period from Sunday the 2nd of August to Tuesday the 4th of August has the best swell and cleanest conditions. Monday the 3rd morning is the standout. The rest of the 16-day window is mostly flat or very poor.

Rusty.

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