Salmon Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Salmon Creek has in store for us. This is a break that’s exposed to the open ocean, and it’s very consistent, but don’t be fooled—it’s an advanced wave, so you better know what you’re doing.

Right off the bat, the water temperature is sitting at 60°F, which is about 2°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s not a massive difference, but you’ll notice it’s a touch on the mild side.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag and largely a write-off. Thursday afternoon (10 September) kicks things off with a tiny 3ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 17 seconds. The combined wave energy is weak at 893, and with a stiff 12 mph onshore wind from the WNW, the surf is poor and messy. Stick to the beach or take a rain check.

Friday (11 September) offers a slightly better 3ft SW groundswell in the morning, with a period around 16 seconds. But the wind is still onshore, albeit lighter at 6 mph. The conditions are marginal at best – it’s one of those “maybe for the super keen” situations. The afternoon gets worse with 16 mph wind.

Saturday (12 September) is no good. A building 7ft swell in the afternoon, but it’s a short-period 6 seconds from the NW and backed by a fresh 22 mph onshore breeze. Combine that with the 654 energy reading, and it’s a wind-blown mess. Sunday (13 September) follows the same script: 8ft of short-period junk with 19 mph wind.

Now, Monday (14 September) is where things get interesting, but only for experts. The morning delivers a powerful 8ft swell from the NW with an 8-second period. The energy jumps to 1405 (moderate to strong), and with a 6 mph onshore wind, it’s heavy but messy. This is solid size – over 8ft – so it’s strictly for the crew with big balls and bigger boards. The afternoon gets bigger at 10ft, but wind picks up to 16 mph, making it a full-on washing machine.

We get a bit of a lull mid-week. Tuesday (15 September) has a 5ft NW swell in the morning with a light cross-onshore, but it’s marginal. Wednesday (16 September) is the first sniff of something decent. The morning shows a 4ft swell from the WNW with a clean light breeze from the south, making for clean conditions. The energy is weak at 282, but the wind is right. This is a “maybe” for a small-wave board.

The first standout in the whole outlook is Wednesday, 21 September. After a long gap of mediocre days, the stars align briefly. The morning brings a clean 3ft swell from the SW with a long 17-second period and a light 3 mph cross-offshore wind from the south. The water’s flat, the energy is weak at 550, but the conditions are “very good” according to the charts. This is the pick of the bunch for the whole period. The waves will be clean, long-waited, and perfect for logging or a longboard. Because this break is very consistent and crowds are listed as “sometimes,” you might have a few friends out there, but with this size, it won’t be a zoo.

Then, back to the pattern. The following days (22 September through 25 September) are a repetitive cycle of tiny 3ft SW swell, mostly light winds, but often onshore or cross-onshore. These are flat and not worth the hassle. The 21st is your day.

Summary for the expert surfer: The entire 16-day window is a slog. There’s only one true standout, which is the morning of the 21st. Otherwise, expect a lot of onshore wind, short-period junk, or just plain too small.

Rusty out.

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