The Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up. Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about The Jetty. It’s a sandbar setup, beginner-friendly, and fairly consistent, but the next week and a half is a tough stretch. The water’s sitting at a balmy 77°F, which is about 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least it’ll feel nice while you’re scratching for nothing.

We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands. From Sunday, August 23rd all the way through to Sunday, August 30th, the surf is tiny and poor. We’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft of weak, messy swell with short periods and a lot of cross-shore or onshore wind. The combined energy is low, barely getting above 60, so it’s a flat spell. Even Wednesday the 26th sees a glassy morning, but with only 1ft of swell, it’s barely a ripple.

The outlook starts to shift on the morning of Monday, August 31st. We get a pulse of long-period groundswell, 1ft at 18 seconds, from the SE. The combined energy jumps to 117 (moderate), and with a light cross-offshore breeze, it will be clean. It’s small, but those long 18-second lines will have some push. The problem is that long period at a sandbar can make it close out straight. It’s only a 1/10, so don’t expect much.

Tuesday, September 1st morning is similar: 2ft at 15 seconds, combined energy of 125 (moderate), with a light cross-offshore breeze. Again, clean but marginal. The real standout looks like Thursday, September 3rd afternoon. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SE with a 13-second period, and the combined energy hits 297 (moderate-strong). More importantly, the wind goes offshore from the NW. That’s clean, lined-up conditions for a sandbar, and the rating says "expect good surf conditions." This is the best window in the whole forecast.

Saturday, September 5th morning also has some potential. The swell builds to 4ft from the ESE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 413. The wind is light and cross-offshore, keeping it clean. That’s the biggest, most energetic swell of the whole run, but the afternoon gets chopped by onshore wind. After that, it all fades back into nothing by the 6th and 7th.

So, if you’re patient, the Thursday afternoon, September 3rd is the one to target. The clean offshore wind on that 3ft of SE groundswell will be the best shape you’ll see. The Saturday morning, September 5th has the most size and energy, but it’s a little less certain with the direction. For a beginner-friendly spot, this is about as good as it gets in this long, flat stretch.

Rusty.

Read more