Scarecrows Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here with the same outlook in feet.

We’ve got a solid run of groundswell on the cards at Scarecrows, but you’ll need to be an advanced surfer to handle it. This is a consistent reef break that’s exposed to the swell, with an optimum direction from the southwest. The water is sitting at 85°F, which is about 0.9°F warmer than normal – just a touch of tropical warmth.

The forecast kicks off Wednesday, August 19th, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got 8ft to 10ft SSW swell, but with a cross-onshore wind and a risk of thunderstorms, it’s going to be choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday, August 20th, is where things start to look up. The swell drops a touch to 8ft, still from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds, and the wind swings SE to become a clean cross-off. The wave energy is still strong (3522). The morning is marginal, but the afternoon is flagged as "excellent for experienced surfers" with a 8ft swell and clean conditions. That’s your first real window.

Friday, August 21st, the swell eases to 7ft in the morning with clean cross-off winds, but the wind swings southerly and goes cross-shore in the afternoon, bringing chop. The morning is the pick.

Saturday, August 22nd, and Sunday, August 23rd, are a mixed bag. The swell is still pushing 7ft to 6ft, but the wind is fickle, with some cross-off periods and some cross-shore chop. There’s a risk of thunderstorms on and off. The energy is dropping from 2331 to 1805. It’s surfable for the experienced crew, but not the best.

Monday, August 24th, the swell dips to 4ft to 6ft, with cross-shore winds and a risk of storms. The energy is down to 1285. A bit of a lull, but still rideable for the die-hards.

The real standout of the whole forecast is the window from Monday, August 31st, to Tuesday, September 1st. Hold on to your boards. The swell jumps back to 7ft to 8ft from the SW, with a very long period of 18 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore. The wave energy is massive – 3241 to 3833. The guidance says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" with a score of 5. This is the best on offer. The longer period will make for clean, powerful lines at this reef, but it’ll be a handful for anyone without experience.

The rest of the run into the second week is a slow fade. Thursday, August 27th, has a brief spike of 3ft to 4ft but with a very long period of 19 seconds, giving it some punch. Friday, August 28th, is clean with 6ft. By the time we hit Sunday, August 30th, the swell drops to 2ft, but with a 22-second period – that’s a very long groundswell, which will break clean and make for easy paddling, but it’s small.

Overall, the first week is about persistence and picking the clean windows, but the end of August into September is where the magic happens.

Rusty

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