Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Sandy Beach are looking like a flat, windy mess. The models are showing “poor surf conditions” for just about every single session, so we’re in for a rough patch.

The first chance to even think about a paddle is Tuesday morning, August 11th. Sandy Beach is a beach and reef setup, and the water is about 81°F, which is normal for this time of year. But the wind is a moderate cross-onshore from the ENE at 16 mph, and the swell is a weak, short-period 4 ft from the ENE. The combined energy is moderate (403), but it’s just choppy and ugly. Not worth the effort.

From Tuesday afternoon through the end of the week, it’s a total write-off. The wind cranks up to a fresh 22 mph cross-shore, and the swell is tiny, long-period leftovers from the south – 3 ft to 4 ft. Energy climbs into the 800-900 range, but with that wind, it’s nothing but lumpy cross-chop. Saturday morning, August 15th, brings a bump to 6 ft from the ENE, but the wind is a strong 25 mph cross-shore. That’s just messy. By Sunday the 16th, the swell hits 8 ft from the ENE with a near-gale 34 mph cross-offshore wind. The energy is very strong (1743), and while the wind is clean, it’s a battle, not a session. That’s expert-only territory, and with the wind howling, it’s more of a survival mission.

Monday, August 17th, is the biggest swell of the run – 10 ft from the ENE with a 12-second period and very strong energy (2567). But the wind is onshore, there’s a risk of thunderstorms, and it’s just a wall of chop. Honestly, that’s a kite-surfing day, not a paddle day. After that, the swell drops off a cliff. Tuesday the 18th is back to 2 ft, and from Wednesday the 19th through the 21st, we’re looking at tiny, weak swells (2 ft) with cross-shore winds. The energy drops to a pathetic 57-296. Nothing to ride.

The week of August 22nd offers a slight uptick in consistency from the south, but the wind is still cross-shore or cross-onshore. The swell is small (1 ft to 3 ft) with moderate energy. The best of a bad lot might be Saturday morning, August 22nd, with 2 ft from the SSW, 16-second period, and a moderate 12 mph cross-shore wind. It’s a long-period groundswell, so it might break a bit straight at the beach, but the reef could offer something. The energy is weak (281). The last few days (August 24th-26th) see the south swell building again, hitting 4 ft to 5 ft with 16-20 second periods and strong energy (1256-1366), but the wind is a problem – fresh to strong cross-shore or cross-onshore, keeping it lumpy. The only sliver of hope is Tuesday afternoon, August 25th, where the forecast says “marginal” with a 1-star rating, 3 ft from the south, 20-second period, and a fresh cross-shore wind. It’s still a long shot.

So, bottom line: there’s no standout. Not a single session in the next 16 days lines up good wind with decent swell. If you’re aching for a wave, maybe that Tuesday afternoon, August 25th, but it’s a gamble. It’s a long, quiet stretch for Sandy Beach, and forecasts can change, but right now, you’re better off waiting.

Rusty.

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