Sunset Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at the next couple of weeks in our little corner of the world.

Straight up, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: the first week and a half is flat as a pancake. We’re looking at a solid stretch of poor conditions, with nothing worth paddling out for from Saturday the 15th through Monday the 24th of August. The swell is tiny, the wind’s mostly on it or cross-on, and the wave energy is weak, sitting in the low hundreds (between 139 and 470). You’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than trying to ride this stuff. It’s a real bummer, but it won’t last forever.

Now, hold onto your leggies, because things start to stir around Tuesday the 25th. We’ve got a promising pulse of south swell building. That morning, Sunset Beach is looking at a solid 5 ft of swell from the SSE, with a decent period of 15 seconds. The wind is light from the S, but cross-on, so there’ll be a few ripples on the surface, but the energy is ramping up strong (1265). The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing freaky going on there. By Wednesday the 26th, the swell pushes up to 6 ft from the south, still with a good 14-second period. This is getting into that territory where it’s a bit much for beginners, but for everyone else, this is the standout window. The wave energy is kicking (1406). The morning looks best with light cross-on winds, but the afternoon gets choppy as a WSW breeze picks up to 12 mph. This setup will work best on a point or reef, as that long-period south swell can be a bit too straight for the beach breaks.

On Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, we’ve still got solid 4 ft to 5 ft south-southwest swell hanging in there with moderate energy (1100-1152). The wind is a bit better on Thursday, coming onshore, but it’s light. This isn't quite the peak, but it’s still way better than the crap we had before. By Saturday the 29th, it’s already starting to fade back down to 4 ft and the cross-offshore wind isn’t doing us any favours.

So mark your calendars. The best bet is Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th of August. That’s your chance to get some proper waves. Be aware that Sunset Beach can get a few heads out there, so don’t expect to have it to yourself if the swell hits right.

Rusty.

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