The Cutting Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the only game in town for the next couple of weeks: The Cutting.

Right from the get-go, this is a run of solid, consistent swell, but you’re gonna have to pick your moments. We’ve got a big pulse of SW groundswell rolling in, and honestly, for most of this stretch it’s just too damn big for your average Sunday session. The water’s sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

Starting Sunday the 30th, it’s already pumping at 8 ft from the SW with a 13-second period, but that cross-on wind and the sheer size (10 ft by the afternoon) means it’s more of a washed-out, messy affair. The wave energy is already cranking (2754), but the quality is marginal. Monday the 31st cleans right up though. Glassy conditions and a clean 10 ft SW swell with a 14-second period – that’s proper. The energy is chunky (4770), but the problem is the height; at 10 ft it’s pushing into expert-only territory and the forecast even says it might be too big for The Cutting. Tuesday the 1st of September has a 22 mph offshore wind, which is clean but the 8 ft – 7 ft SW swell is scoring poorly due to tide issues.

Honestly, the whole first week is dominated by waves well over 8 ft. We’re talking 10 ft, 12 ft, 13 ft, even a 16 ft spike on Thursday the 3rd. The combined energy goes from 3101 up to a whopping 15233. The wind is a mixed bag – some clean offshore periods, but also some strong cross-shore junk. For the average punter, this setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, especially on the 3rd and 5th of September. Those are blown-out, lumpy, and just plain ugly on the 5th.

Now, there’s a little window that pops up. Monday the 7th of September morning, the swell drops back to 7 ft from the SW, 13-second period, with a clean offshore breeze. The energy drops to 1529, and it’s labelled as “excellent” for experienced surfers. That’s your best bet in the first week if you’re not a big-wave charger. Don’t bother with the afternoon – it gets blown to bits by a 34 mph cross-on.

Then we hit a real monster. Tuesday the 8th of September sees a massive spike to 21 ft SW swell with a 17-second period and the combined energy hits 45387. That’s a full-on, life-threatening event, especially with onshore wind. Experts only, and even then, it’s a serious call. The next few days drop back to 15 ft to 10 ft, still too big and mostly choppy under cross-onshore winds.

The second week finally brings some relief. Thursday the 10th of September has a 10 ft SW swell with 14 seconds, and a clean cross-off breeze – that’s rideable for a strong intermediate. Friday the 11th of September morning looks sweet: 8 ft SW, 16-second period, with a glassy cross-off wind. The energy is 3110 and it’s rated excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a standout moment, the best on offer in the whole outlook. The long period (16 seconds) will mean long lulls and powerful lines, best handled on a point or reef, but at The Cutting it should still reel off nicely.

After that, it’s a slow fade. Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th are still big (10 ft and 8 ft) but with clean offshore winds, so plenty of power but you need to know what you’re doing. By Monday the 14th of September, we finally drop to a more manageable 6 ft, but the wind goes cross-on and the quality is marginal.

So, to keep it simple: if you’re an experienced surfer, the morning of Monday the 7th is your first decent chance. The absolute standout is the morning of Friday the 11th of September – clean, good size, excellent quality. After that, it’s a slow slide into smaller, messier conditions.

Rusty.

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