Spring Lake Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Spring Lake.

To be straight with you, this forecast window is a tough one. For a solid stretch starting now, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing. The first surf that’s even worth mentioning doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 28th, and even then, it’s barely a whisper. From Wednesday the 22nd right through to Monday the 27th, it’s essentially flat or junk. That’s a good six or seven days of staring at a lake. But, as Spring Lake goes, it’s a summer sandbar setup – it can be fickle, and blank runs like this aren't unheard of.

The best you’re likely to see comes late in the week, on Friday the 31st of July. We’ve got a bump in the swell energy, with a combined energy reading of 287 (moderate energy) from the SSE. The swell height nudges 3ft with a period around 10 seconds – that’s a bit more push and shape than the junky windswell we see earlier. The real savior here is the wind: a clean, light offshore breeze from the West at 6 mph. That’s the kind of glassy to clean surface that will make a sandbar like Spring Lake look its best, even with small surf. The swell direction from the SSE isn’t a perfect match for the break’s optimum (ENE), but with the quality of the wind and the slightly longer period, this is the standout session of the whole forecast. Earlier on Thursday the 30th afternoon also shows some potential with 4ft SSE swell and a gentle cross-offshore breeze, but the swell energy is lower at 203 and the period is shorter at 8 seconds, making the Friday the 31st the better bet. The water is running at 74°F, which is about 2° above the typical for this time of year – a bit warmer than normal but nothing crazy.

Before that, Tuesday the 28th afternoon offers a tiny window with 4ft SSE swell and a solid offshore from the NW at 9 mph. It’ll be clean, but the energy is low at 159 and the period is short (8s), so it’s more of a longboard or be-ready-for-nothing kind of session. Same goes for the following mornings – small, clean, but uninspiring.

The second week (into early August) falls off a cliff again. No quality surf, just a mix of tiny onshore slop and chop. Don’t hold your breath.

Bottom line: If you’ve been jonesing for a wave, pencil in Friday the 31st of July morning for the best chance at a clean, small-wave session. It’s not a barrel fest, but it’s the only game in town. The rest of the time, the lake is the name of the game.

Rusty.

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