Satellite Beach/RCs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s get into it.

The next week and a half or so is going to be a serious test of patience around here. We’re looking at a long, flat, and messy stretch that will have you staring at the ocean wondering where it all went. Honestly, it’s a wasteland until we get closer to the end of the month. No buoys are saying anything good, the swell is basically non-existent, and what little energy there is gets chopped up by onshore breezes. The best thing you can do is find another project or fix your ding collection.

We start things off on the 10th and this just keeps the poor run going. Thursday’s waves are barely a ripple, under 3ft, coming from the ENE with an 8-second period. The energy reading is a weak 79, and the wind is a cross-onshore mess. The conditions are just poor. Buckle up, because this is the theme for the next nine days. We go through Friday and the weekend with the same story – tiny, weak, messy surf. All the readings are in the pathetic range, with energy values between 26 and 52. The swell direction is all over the place, from the ESE to the E, but it doesn't matter because the periods are short and the power is nothing. On Sunday the 13th, it’s a cross-shore wind that’s just making it worse. A little bigger on the 1-2ft range but still rubbish. We get a bit of a glassy morning on Saturday the 19th, but the swell is down to 1ft. Can you even call that surf? Not really.

As we get into the following week, it's more of the same. We’ve got winds picking up from the east and even some storm cells around, but the surf isn’t doing anything. The swell is small, the period is short, and the energy is weak. I’m talking about values like 10, 21, and 25 – just a lot of nothing. Then it gets properly windy on the 21st and 22nd. The wind swings around to the east and picks up a lot of pace, and we get some heavier blows. But the swell only gets to a 3ft at best on the Tuesday afternoon, which is when the wind also hits near gale force. It’s just a mess.

Now, hold on, because here’s where the story flips. That long dry spell, it’s about to be broken. Things start moving on the 23rd. The wind goes wild – we’re talking a severe gale from the south at 50 mph in the morning. That’s a lot of wind, and it’s cross-shore. The swell starts to build, reading 4-5ft from the ENE, and the energy jumps to 186. It's still not clean, but it’s a sign. By the afternoon, the wind swings around to the SSW, goes cross-offshore, and the waves push up to 5ft. The energy reading is up to 192. This is more interesting, even if the short period is a bit of a letdown.

Thursday the 24th is where the real deal starts. The wind swings to the SSW and the SW, a solid cross-offshore flow. The swell fills in properly, at 5-6ft in the morning, jumping to 6ft by the afternoon. The period is stretching out to 9 and then 10 seconds. This is where the energy starts to get serious. The morning reading is at 377 and the afternoon jumps to 636, which is a solid amount of push. It’s getting cleaner, the wind is holding off the shore. This is a big change from the last week.

And the standout moment, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Friday the 25th. This is the one. The wind is a cross-offshore from the west-southwest, and the swell hits the 7ft mark coming from the NE. The period is up at a classic 10 seconds. But look at that energy reading – 1296. That is a powerful, strong pulse of swell. This is the day to make plans around. It might not be a perfect, glassy day, but it has power and shape.

For a break like Satellite Beach/RCs, with its beach and reef setup, this NE swell is in its wheelhouse. The optimum direction for this spot is NE, so it’s lining up perfectly. The fact that it’s very consistent is a bonus. On the 25th, with that kind of energy and clean, cross-offshore wind, this is going to be the best it gets. I'd be looking at the reefs along there for now.

Now, about the conditions. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so a spring suit is all you’ll need.

The other days are lookers rather than goers. The run from the 10th to the 21st is a total dead zone. No waves and no wind in the right direction. The 23rd and 24th are good, but Friday the 25th is the day. It’s a long-range call, so it’s not a guarantee, but it’s the one with all the ingredients. Get your board ready, wax it up, and be ready to get wet on that Friday.

Alright, I’m out. Stay stoked.

Rusty

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