Sunset Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We've got a long stretch of small, weak surf ahead, and you're gonna have to pick your moments carefully. The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is the only thing that's really going for us.

We're looking at a real flat spell to kick things off. From Monday the 17th through to the end of the month, there's nothing on the table that's worth getting too excited about. The waves are small, mostly around the 1ft to 3ft mark, and the energy is weak, with combined energy values stuck in the low hundreds. Monday the 17th has a bit of life with a 3ft SSW swell, but the period is only 14 seconds and the morning wind is light and onshore. It's too weak to be any good. The afternoons are worse, with the wind picking up and making things choppy.

The whole week is a write-off. Tuesday and Wednesday have slightly better periods, up around 15-16 seconds, but the swell is still tiny at 2ft to 3ft. The energy is still weak, hovering around 300. Then we drop right off into Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st, with waves barely reaching 2ft and 2ft. There's just nothing to work with. This is a proper lull, and you'd be better off doing anything else.

The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd gets even smaller, with swells down to 1ft. There is a longer period swell from the SW on Sunday the 23rd with a 19-second period, but at 1ft it's just a ripple. It's not going to break properly. The beginning of the following week, the 24th and 25th, bumps back up to 2ft, but it's still weak and uninviting.

Now, as we push into the second week, things get a little more promising, but it's a slow burn. Around the 29th of August, we finally see some energy kick in. The combined energy jumps into the strong range, hitting 561 on the Saturday morning. Swell heights are up to 3ft from the SSW with a 17-second period. It's not huge, but it's the most push we've seen in a while. The problem is the winds are cross-onshore, which is going to mess up the surface. A light morning cross-onshore might keep it clean enough for a few, but don't expect perfection.

This stronger energy continues into the 30th and 31st of August, with combined energy readings in the mid-400s to mid-500s. The swell stays around 3ft with periods of 15-16 seconds. The winds are still mostly cross-onshore or light onshore, so conditions will be a bit lumpy.

The standout period is looking like the morning of the 29th of August. It has the best combination of size, at 3ft, and the strongest energy of the whole forecast, with a combined energy of 561. The light cross-onshore wind is a bit of a bummer, but it's the best we've got.

Sunset Beach is a sandbar, and with these long-period swells from the SSW, they tend to close out and break too straight. It's a classic beach break problem. So, if you do go out, keep your expectations in check. It's not going to be a classic day. This setup could be more interesting for the kite surfers if the wind cooperates, but for a paddle, it's a last resort.

So, to sum it up: the first 12 days are a total bust. You're waiting for the end of the month for a pulse of energy, and even then, it's not a sure thing. Keep an eye on the 29th, but don't hold your breath.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

Read more