The Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what’s coming for The Bowl over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The first few days of the forecast period are pretty average, with a mix of onshore winds, choppy conditions, and questionable wave quality. Tuesday the 8th kicks off with some light rain and a gusty 19 mph cross-offshore wind, but the swell is a solid 12 ft from the west with an 11-second period. The combined energy is massive – 2584 – but the conditions are marginal, and that size is really only for the experienced crew. The afternoon goes downhill fast with onshore winds and poor surf.

Wednesday the 9th is a write-off: small, cross-onshore, and messy. Thursday the 10th offers a tiny silver lining with clean offshore winds from the SSE, but the swell is only 3 ft with a weak 7-second period, giving low energy (115). It’s surfable, but barely.

Now, the first real standout comes on Saturday, September 12th. The Bowl is looking at a solid 12 ft swell from the WNW, with a long 13-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, folks. The combined energy hits 3523, and despite the “marginal” tag, the wind is cross-off and clean. This is advanced territory – 12 ft is no joke – but for those with the skills, it’s going to be a ripper morning. The Bowl is a reef break, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, but it might make the paddling out a bit easier with those longer gaps between sets. The wind is light and clean, which is a major positive. The water temperature is 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, with an anomaly of just 1°F. Expect crowds to be possible here – it’s a well-known spot.

Sunday the 13th is a step down, with a cross-onshore wind and lumpy conditions. The energy drops to 1224, and while there’s still some swell, it’s not the same quality.

The next real highlight is Thursday, September 17th. The morning session is the pick of the week. We’ve got a 8 ft swell from the west, a 10-second period, and clean offshore winds from the SSW. The combined energy is 1404, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the kind of call you want to hear. The offshore wind will groom the face perfectly. It’s not quite as big as the 12th, but the overall quality is higher. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-offshore breeze, but the morning is the real prize.

After that, things get messy again. Friday the 18th sees a drop in swell and a cross-shore chop. The weekend of the 19th and 20th is mostly small and weak, with energy dropping below 400. The 20th has a tiny 2 ft swell from the west with a light breeze – barely enough for a log.

Looking further out, the final week brings a lot of strong wind and big, messy swell. Monday, September 21st sees a 8 ft swell from the west with a 12-second period, but the wind is a strong 25 mph, making it a marginal, blown-out mess. The energy is still high at 1840, but the quality is poor. By Tuesday the 22nd, we’re looking at near gale-force winds and a weird, short-period swell. The 23rd has a massive 15 ft swell from the WNW with a very long 15-second period, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore. The energy is astronomical at 8188, but it’s a total write-off for surfing – honestly, with that much swell and strong wind, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing playground than a paddle session.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are Saturday morning, September 12th for the big, clean groundswell (advanced only), and Thursday morning, September 17th for the best all-round conditions with offshore wind and a solid 8 ft swell. The rest of the forecast is a mixed bag of mediocre or blown-out surf. The long-range standouts are promising but less certain, so keep an eye on the wind shifts.

Stay stoked, and don’t sleep on that Thursday morning session.

Rusty.

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