Spring Lake Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, because I’ve looked over the charts for Spring Lake and, well, I’ve got to be straight with you—it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’re talking a solid 16-day window from now, and honestly, things are looking pretty flat and uninspiring for most of it.

We kick off on Monday afternoon, August 31st, with tiny 1 ft swell out of the southeast, but it’s an onshore breeze and the energy is a weak 22. Water temp is sitting at 74°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year—nice for a swim, but it won’t help the waves. The next few days are more of the same. Tuesday, September 1st, offers a little hope in the morning with a light westerly cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is still a pathetic 1 ft with a short 7-second period. The energy is a measly 19. It’s clean, but there’s just nothing to ride.

We get a bit of a jump on Wednesday, September 2nd, with the swell rising to 5 ft from the east, but it’s a short, choppy 6-second period and a strong onshore wind from the ENE at 16 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 209, but it’s messy, blown-out, and not worth paddling out for. That trend continues into Thursday morning, September 3rd, when we finally see a clean window. The wind swings offshore from the west at 9 mph, and the swell drops to 3 ft from the ESE with a 7-second period. The energy is moderate at 103, and the report calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s the best we’ve seen, but that’s not saying much. Thursday afternoon sees the swell drop further to 2 ft with a 9-second period, clean offshore wind, but the energy is down to 70.

From Friday, September 4th, right through to the end of the first week, it’s back to tiny, inconsistent dribble. The swell never gets above 2 ft, periods are short, and the wind is all over the place. The energy barely cracks 40. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday, September 8th, with glassy conditions from a light SSW breeze, but the swell is a pathetic 1 ft with a 10-second period. Energy is a low 36.

Then, on Wednesday, September 9th, we get another surprise. The afternoon brings a glassy offshore from the WNW at just 3 mph, and the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the south. The period is a short 5 seconds, but the energy is moderate at 94. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The wind is right, but the swell is weak and short.

After that, it’s a long, depressing stretch. From Thursday, September 10th, through to the end of the forecast on Tuesday, September 15th, we’re looking at near-gale-force winds, rain, and barely any swell. The energy values are in the teens and twenties. Sunday, September 13th, and Monday, September 14th, see the wave height reading as “-” meaning zero—flat as a pancake. The last few days show a little 2 ft to 3 ft bump, but it’s all cross-shore or onshore wind and weak.

Bottom line: There is no standout here. The best chance is Thursday morning, September 3rd, at Spring Lake’s sandbar. The swell is 3 ft from the ESE, period is 7 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the west at 9 mph. It’s clean, but don’t expect any barrels. The energy is moderate (103). It’s an intermediate spot, and it’s consistent, but crowds are possible. The water is a touch warmer than normal, but nothing to write home about. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s a big gap of nothing. Honestly, with the onshore winds and small, weak swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of this period.

Rusty.

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