States Avenue (Gas Chambers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m lookin’ at the stretch ahead for States Avenue (Gas Chambers). It’s a beach/jetty setup, exposed to the south-east, and what we’ve got on offer is a long, drawn-out period of flat, messy, or just plain uncooperative conditions. The first ten days or so are a real struggle, with only a couple of brief windows where you might even bother paddling out. The real standout is locked in for the second week, and it’s a beauty, but you’ll have to wait for it.

Right off the bat, Thursday morning the 23rd is the only thing that’s even surfable to start, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’ve got a 3 ft SSE swell, period of 8 seconds – that’s a short-period, weak energy pulse (76). The offshore wind is from the north at 6 mph, so it’s cross-off and the water is a warm 75°, which is about a degree warmer than average for this time of year. It’s clean, but it’s really small and ordinary. That’s your only real option for that first week.

Then we hit a total dead zone. From Thursday afternoon the 23rd all the way through to Sunday morning the 2nd of August, it’s a flat, choppy, or blown-out mess. The wind is relentless from the east and south-east, mostly cross-on or onshore, and the swell barely scrapes above 3 ft, with periods under 8 seconds. The wave energy is weak, with values sitting in the 20s to 60s. Nearly every session scores a zero. It’s a grim stretch.

Now, after that long drought, Monday the 3rd of August finally throws us a bone. The morning session is the clear standout of the entire 16-day window. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 284 (moderate). But the real magic is the wind: a light offshore breeze from the WNW at 6 mph. That’s going to clean it right up, and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one to circle. The swell is solid for intermediates, but it’s not too big for more experienced paddlers. The direction matches the optimum, and the offshore wind will hold it open. Keep in mind, though, that this spot is exposed and the swell is moderate, so it won’t be a monster, but it’ll be the best quality we’ve seen in weeks.

The afternoon on Monday the 3rd drops off a little – the wind swings to the south-west and gets cross-shore, and the energy bumps up to 343, but it’s a marginal call. I’d stick to the morning session.

After that, the rest of the forecast fades back into mediocrity. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are back to poor conditions with cross-onshore winds and weak swell. Thursday the 6th of August has a bit more size – 4 ft to 4 ft from the south – but the wind is howling from the south-southwest at 15-18 mph, making it choppy and lumpy. The wave energy is moderate (116-209), but it’s a mess. That setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

The final few days, the 7th, are more of the same: poor, cross-onshore, and weak. So, if you’re chasing waves, save your energy for Monday morning the 3rd of August. That’s the one. The rest is a long, flat wait.

Rusty.

Read more