Sunset Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Sunset. We’re in for a wild ride, and I mean that literally. The short-term is a write-off, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.

Right now, the ocean is a mess. A massive, long-period groundswell from the East is building, but it’s arriving with nasty cross-onshore winds. The water temps are a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 87°F. The wave energy is already massive (1929), but it’s choppy and not worth your time. Tuesday afternoon is a no-go.

Wednesday and Thursday are even worse. The swell keeps pumping up, hitting 10 feet by Wednesday afternoon with an energy reading of 5024, but the wind is howling cross-onshore, making it a washing machine. Thursday is a full-on storm, with 16 foot+ waves and howling cross-shore winds. Forget about it. The combined energy climbs into the tens of thousands, but it’s all just power and chaos.

Friday, August 7th, is a cruel joke. The swell peaks at 20 feet to 30 feet, and for the first time, the wind goes clean offshore. The wave energy is off the charts – 33288 on Friday morning, and an insane 36837 by the afternoon. The forecast says the wind and tide are favorable, but look, 30 feet is too big for this break. This is only for the most experienced, and even then, it’s a “maybe.” It’s a spectacle, not a session.

The storm force winds don’t let up through the weekend. That huge swell drops off fast, but the wind stays so strong that even the cleanest-looking pulses are dangerous. Sunday and Monday bring violent storm-force winds, with the swell dropping to almost nothing. Just stay home.

Finally, relief arrives on Wednesday, August 12th. The wind goes light offshore, and the swell settles to a clean 4 feet from the Northwest. The wave energy is a modest 515. This is the only time in the first two weeks where the surf is actually good. The winds are light and glassy, breaking offshore. It’s a small window, but it’s the standout of the whole period. It’s a good day for a longboard.

After that, we go back into a flat spell. From Thursday, August 13th, through the end of the forecast, the swell is tiny and from the East. The wind stays mostly clean, but with waves barely hitting 2 feet, you’re looking at a long gap of flat, ordinary conditions. The energy readings are all in the low hundreds. The waves are surfable, but only just. It’s not a total blank, but it’s close.

The genuine standout is Wednesday, August 12th. That’s your day. The rest of the window is either massive, dangerous, or flat. The call is a tough one, but that one morning makes it worth checking the charts.

Rusty.

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