The Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at The Jetty over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be honest – it’s not looking great.

First thing you’ll notice is the water temp: it’s sitting at a very unusual 76°, which is a solid 5° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a real standout, so if you’re paddling out at The Jetty (The-Jetty-1), expect that bathwater feel.

Right from the start on Monday, September 14th, it’s small and poor. The swell is a tiny 1 ft from the SE with a 9-second period, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-offshore, which keeps things clean. Still, the combined swell energy is only 28 – that’s weak. No real push to get excited about. That pattern holds through Monday afternoon and into Tuesday with onshore winds and even smaller, shorter-period windswell.

Wednesday and Thursday look flat and messy. We’re looking at a run of days with very little on offer. There’s a gap of several days here where I wouldn’t bother paddling out.

Come Sunday, September 20th, we see a slight bump. The morning shows 3 ft from the SSW with a short 6-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy hits 115 (moderate), but the quality is still poor. By afternoon, the wind cranks up to 22 mph from the NE with rain showers – a real mess.

The real energy shows up around Monday, September 21st. The swell builds to 5 ft from the E with a 7-second period, and combined energy jumps to 239 (moderate). But the wind is cross-onshore at 12 mph, making it choppy. Tuesday, September 22nd, sees the biggest swell of the period: 7 ft from the E, 8-second period, and combined energy of 520 (strong). That’s serious size for The Jetty, but with a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore wind, it’s lumpy and messy. This kind of setup with a beach break in strong onshore wind is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – it’s going to be a battle out there.

Wednesday, September 23rd, stays big at 6 ft from the ESE with 9-second period, and energy at 559 (strong), but again onshore winds and rain make it a no-go for clean waves.

Finally, on Thursday, September 24th, we get a small window. Morning shows 4 ft from the E, 9-second period, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the W. Combined energy is 204 (moderate), and conditions are clean. It’s “surfable but very ordinary” – the best we get in this whole run. If you’re desperate, that’s the session to aim for.

After that, the swell drops back down into the 1 ft to 4 ft range through the end of September. There are a few more clean windows on the 27th and 28th with light offshore winds and 3 ft to 4 ft swell from the ESE, but the energy is moderate and conditions are just passable. Nothing that’ll get your heart racing.

Overall, it’s a long, bleak run. The only real standout is Thursday, September 24th morning for clean but small waves. Otherwise, this is a stretch where you’re better off waiting for the next system to deliver something better. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s slim pickings.

Rusty.

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