The Wedge Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We've got The Wedge on the radar, but it's gonna be a patience game.

The long-range outlook points to the end of the month as the most promising period, but we've got a whole lot of small, poor-quality surf to get through before we see anything worthwhile. Water temps are running much warmer than normal for this time of year, coming in around 71°, so at least you won't need a thick suit while you're sitting there waiting for a set.

The start of this stretch is a real bummer. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are looking pretty flat, with waves around 2ft and that energy is weak, coming in at 311 and 328 respectively. Winds are mostly light but onshore or cross, which will just chop up an already tiny surf. It's marginal at best, and honestly, not worth the effort.

We then slide into a proper dead zone from Thursday the 20th all the way through to Monday the 24th. The swell is tiny, around 2ft, and the energy just fades away into the low 100s and 200s. The wind stays light but cross-shore, making it a complete waste of time. This is a stretch of several days where you're better off doing anything else.

Things try to pick up a little around the 25th and 26th, but it's still tiny. We see a bit more energy, with the combined readings hitting 363 and 249, but the wave height stays stubbornly around 2ft. It's more of the same – small, weak, and uninviting. There's a brief moment on Monday the 24th afternoon where we get some cross-offshore wind, but it's still just 2ft of swell, so it's not going to save the day.

Now, here's where we start to see a glimmer of hope. The last few days of the month, from the 29th of August through to the 31st, finally show a pulse of energy. On the 29th, we’re looking at 3ft of SSW swell with the energy jumping up to 473 and 514. The period is a solid 16 seconds, which is proper groundswell. This is the standout period on offer. The waves are still small, but there's finally some push and potential for a fun wave. Winds are light, though still mostly cross or cross-on, which isn't ideal, but this is the best we're going to get.

After that, it looks like we fade back out again on the 1st and 2nd of September. The swell drops back to around 2ft and the energy, while still moderate, starts to dwindle. It's back to the same old story.

So, here's the deal. The Wedge is a pretty exposed breakwater spot that can handle some swell, and when it's on, it's on. But for this forecast window, it's mostly going to be a whole lot of nothing. The only days that look even worth a glance are the 29th and 30th of August, and even then, you're chasing small, tricky surf. This skinny, long-period swell might also be breaking a bit straight on a setup like this, which is a caveat. The waves are well under that 5ft mark, so it's not too big for beginners, but the quality just isn't there.

If you're desperate for a paddle, you could check the morning of the 29th, but keep the expectations low. It's all about waiting for a better run of swell.

Rusty, out.

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