Spring Lake Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s have a proper look at the next couple of weeks down at Spring Lake. To be honest with you, it’s going to be a bit of a scratch for most of it, but there are a couple of windows where you might just get something worth your while.

The long-range picture shows a lot of small, weak swell and onshore winds, so we’re not talking about any kind of epic run. We’ve got a few days of nothing at all to start with, then a couple of “maybe” days, and then a real promising window around August 20th that’s worth circling on the calendar. After that, it’s back to small and quiet.

The first week: a slow grind

Honestly, the first few days are a complete washout. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th have barely any swell, with waves only around 0.7ft to 1ft, and a cross-onshore wind messing things up. You’d be fighting for dribbles, and it’s just not worth the paddle. The energy is super weak, with combined readings of 16 to 19, which is nothing. The water temperature is running about 78°F, which is notably warmer than average for this time of year, so that’s a bit of a treat if you do go for a swim, but for surfing, it’s a no-go.

Sunday the 16th sees a slight bump, but the period drops to 4-6 seconds, which is just choppy, wind-blown junk. The afternoon picks up a little to 3ft, but it’s cross-shore and messy, and that 34 energy reading is still weak. Monday the 17th is the first sign of life, with the morning offering a clean 2ft with a light offshore wind. It’s small and clean, but the period is still short at 7 seconds. It’s surfable, but it’s not going to blow your mind. The afternoon goes glassy, but the swell is wind swell and a bit disjointed.

Tuesday the 18th through Wednesday the 19th are pretty forgettable, with small waves and cross-shore winds. There’s a chance of a thunderstorm on Wednesday afternoon, which might add some juice but also some mess. The energy is still weak, sitting in the 30s and 40s. The water temp is still around that 78°F mark, warmer than usual.

The standout window: Thursday the 20th and beyond

Right, here’s the one I’m actually excited about. Thursday the 20th, the morning has some proper promise. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the south, a period of 6 seconds, and a clean, light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy jumps up to 105, which is a solid, moderate push. This is the first day where the setup actually looks like it could produce a few fun ones on the sandbar. It’s not big, but it’s clean and there’s some push behind it. This is your best bet for a proper surf.

The second week: smaller and softer

The end of the month calms down considerably. After that Thursday the 20th peak, things ease off quickly. The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd returns to smaller, weaker swell, with periods of 6 seconds, and the winds start to get a bit cross-onshore again. The energy levels drop back into the 30s and 40s. From the 24th onwards, we’re back to very small, knee-to-thigh high waves, mostly under 2ft, and the period stays short.

There is a brief pulse on the 29th, with the swell around 3ft and longer period of 7 seconds, but the energy is only in the 120s and the winds are cross-offshore. It looks surfable but pretty ordinary, with the afternoon going flat calm and glassy. That could be a fun, small-wave session if you’re keen, but nothing to get overly worked up about.

Overall, this is a two-week period that is mostly about being patient. The water is warm, which is nice, but the surf is small. If you can get out on the morning of the 20th, that’s the one to chase. The rest is either too small, too messy, or just flat. Keep your eyes on that Thursday, because that’s the best we’ve got.

Rusty.

Read more