States Avenue (Gas Chambers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at States Avenue (Gas Chambers). I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. The pattern is flat and weak, with a whole lot of nothing happening for the first week. The first real chance of a wave doesn’t show up until Friday, August 28th, and even then, it’s not much. We’ve got a long gap of completely flat or junk surf before that.

The water is unusually warm, sitting at 78°F – that’s way above the norm for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but you’ll be wanting a clean wave to enjoy it in.

Looking at the start: Saturday the 22nd, it’s just poor. A tiny 1 ft swell from the ESE with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a messy cross-on from the southeast. The combined energy is a measly 35 (weak). It’s not worth paddling out for. This continues through Sunday and Monday – tiny swells, clean winds but no size. Tuesday the 25th is still flat, and Wednesday the 26th is glassy but only 1 ft. That’s not surfable.

Thursday the 27th gets a little bump in the afternoon – 2 ft from the SE, but the wind is a cross-on from the south at 15 mph, making it choppy. The energy picks up to 101 (moderate), but the quality is poor.

Now, the standout – and I mean the only real highlight – comes on Friday afternoon, August 28th. The swell jumps to 4 ft from the south, but here’s the catch: the period is only 7 seconds. That’s short-period windswell, not a long groundswell, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and weak. But the wind goes clean, cross-off from the west at 9 mph, and the combined energy hits 236 (moderate).

After a week of nothing, this is the best on offer. It’s not a classic, but it’s surfable, and the conditions will be clean. Don’t expect a world-class wave – it’s a beach/jetty setup, so it’ll be a bit crumbly. Crowds are likely here, so get out early.

After that, it drops back to tiny junk again through the weekend and into September. A few pulses of energy show up around September 1st and 2nd – 1 ft to 2 ft with long periods (14 seconds) from the SE – but the wind is cross or onshore, and the size is too small to get excited about. The energy is moderate (149-164), but the waves are too small to ride properly.

So, bottom line: if you’re desperate, Friday the 28th is your only real shot. Otherwise, it’s a long, flat, frustrating run. This area tends to go quiet like this, so don’t panic – forecasts can change, but for now, keep your board in the car and wait for the next pulse.

Rusty.

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