The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for The South Jetty over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s looking like a pretty flat and quiet spell for the most part. The South Jetty is a beach/jetty setup that’s exposed to the SE swell, but for the first week and a half, there’s just nothing doing. We’ve got a long stretch from now all the way through to the morning of Sunday the 17th of August with no real surf to speak of—just tiny, weak, poor-condition waves. The combined swell energy is barely scraping double digits (10 to 31), and the periods are short, around 4 to 7 seconds. Winds are all over the place, mostly cross or cross-on, so it’s messy and small. Not worth paddling out for.

The water temperature is sitting at 79°F, which is 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year—that’s notably warm, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but you will need patience.

Now, the first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday morning the 17th of August. The NW wind goes offshore, and we get a little bump of 3 ft from the SSE with a 7-second period. The combined energy climbs to 77—still weak, but it’s the most we’ve seen. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and the score is low. It’s clean, with a gentle offshore, so it’s not a total loss, but this is strictly for the desperate or the beginner looking to catch a few foamies. The jetty might help shape a little, but don’t expect much.

Monday afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze and 2 ft, but again, it’s small.

The next standout is the morning of Wednesday the 19th of August. Swell jumps to 3 ft from the SE, but the period stretches to 12 seconds—that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy hits 194 (moderate), which is the biggest number in the whole forecast. The catch? The wind is onshore, SE at 6 mph, and the comment says “poor surf conditions.” So there’s energy in the water, but it’s going to be a bit bumpy. If you’re a stronger surfer who can handle a bit of chop on a longer-period SE swell, it might be worth a look. The 12-second period means longer lulls between sets, but better shape potential around the jetty.

After that, it fades back into small, poor conditions through to the end of the window. The morning of Sunday the 23rd of August has a glassy morning with 3 ft from the SSE, but the period is short (6 seconds) and energy is only 75—it’s clean but weak.

The best bet on offer? That Wednesday morning the 19th of August. The swell is the biggest and has the most groundswell energy, but the onshore wind keeps it from being a true standout. If you’re itching for a paddle, that’s your window.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the forecasts, and don’t force it. This stretch looks more like a rest week.

Rusty.

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