Tengan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s be honest with you. If you are a beginner, you are going to want to give it a miss for a while. There’s just nothing for you in this stretch. But if you’re patient and got keen eyes, there’s a window starting next week that might be worth a look.

For the next week and a half, the surf is looking poor. On the 16th, we have a bit of weak, wind-whipped surf at Tengan (Okinawa). The swell is a tiny 0.8m from the NNW at 7 seconds, but the cross-on breeze is making things a mess. The water is warm, like it should be this time of year, about 29° with the air being clear. We are looking at a lot of small, closeout waves. The energy is weak, with the combined energy reading a poor 161.

The 17th through the 19th is more of the same. Very small, weak surf with cross-shore breezes and a lot of chop. We’re talking about swell heights of 0.4m to 0.6m at short periods. The wave energy is low, sometimes reading only 61 to 112. Not much to get excited about. It is looking pretty desperate.

This goes on for days and days. The 20th and 21st see a little bump in the swell, up to 1.1m and 1.2m, but it’s still a short-period wind swell, so it’s going to be junky and disorganized. The combined energy is moderate, reaching 397 and 494, but with the winds being mostly cross-shore, the quality will still be poor. We also have a chance of thunderstorms on the 20th, and the waves are still only 1m on the afternoon.

Things get even smaller after that. The 22nd through the 25th sees the swell drop away to nearly nothing. We are talking 0.2m to 0.7m with everywhere. The winds remain onshore or cross-onshore, making conditions even more of a battle. This is definitely a time to get the fishing rod out or catch up on some sleep.

Now, for the first real highlight of this whole forecast. On the 26th, the swell starts to push up to 1.7m in the morning, but the winds are still not ideal. Then, for the afternoon, the wind swings to the northwest and turns cross-offshore, and things are clean. The swell is still a solid 1.6m with a period of 11 seconds. It’s not huge, but the clean conditions will make all the difference.

The momentum carries into the 27th with the offshore breeze continuing. The surf is still around 1.5m in the morning with a clean look. It’s here that we have our most promising conditions so far.

And then we get to the true standout. The 28th is your morning. It’s the best of the best for this whole run. The wind will be offshore and light, leaving the ocean glassy and clean. The swell is a modest 1.2m, but it comes from the E at 11 seconds, giving the waves a lot more push and shape. Tengan (Okinawa) will have clean lined-up sets, but it’s not breaking with power. It's still a bit small, but it will be your best chance for a proper surf. The combined energy reads 369, which is moderate.

Following that, the surf drops again. The 29th brings smaller waves but still with offshore winds. On the 30th, the wind picks up to a fresh 35 km/h from the north, and the ocean turns into a lumpy, choppy mess. Not good. By the first of October, we’re right back to the small, wind-blown conditions that have plagued the rest of the forecast. A couple of lumps at 0.8m and a cross-onshore breeze means we are back to square one.

So, it’s a long wait, but there is a two-day window on the 27th and 28th that will have some clean, rideable waves. The 28th is your pick. Get out there before the next bout of wind messes it all up. It’s going to be a long two weeks for the rest.

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