The Window Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the surf forecast for The Window. Let's get into it.

Right off the bat, we've got a solid swell train rolling in, but the wind is going to be the big story for most of this run. The first few days are a bit of a mixed bag with some decent size but less-than-ideal conditions. The real standouts are the clean windows we get on Tuesday the 14th and then again on Monday the 27th. That's where you want to be.

The water temp is sitting at 66°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

We kick off on Sunday the 12th with a solid 12 ft SW groundswell, but that 9 mph cross-onshore wind is going to chop it up. It's a bit of a messy start, with a massive amount of energy in the water (8192) but not the cleanest shape. The Window is a reef break, so it handles the power, but you'll be battling the wind.

Monday the 13th looks similar – still a big 12 ft SW groundswell (16-second period), still that cross-onshore breeze. The energy is still huge (6285 to 5292), but it's not going to be the cleanest.

Now, Tuesday the 14th is the pick of the first week. The wind swings around to a light NE cross-offshore, and the ocean cleans right up. You're looking at a solid 10 ft swell from the SW, with a long 15-second period. There's plenty of power (3813 to 3326) and the conditions are described as clean. This is proper reef-break surfing, but at 10 ft, it's a session for the experienced crew. The offshore wind and long-period groundswell will make for some heavy, well-shaped waves.

The middle of the week turns ugly. From Wednesday the 15th through to the 20th, we get hammered by strong winds from the N, NW, and then W. The wind hits 31 mph on Saturday the 18th with a massive 20 ft swell (19597 energy). That's a full-on storm. The surf quality goes to zero. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and it's just a mess. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Tuesday the 22nd with a light N breeze, but the swell is shorter period (12 seconds) and the energy is lower (1848). The conditions are still a bit crossed up. It's marginal.

The next big swell hits on the 23rd and 24th, with another 13 ft to 16 ft SW groundswell, but again, the wind is onshore or cross, ruining it. The energy is massive (over 13730), but the quality is poor.

Your real target for the second week is Monday the 27th. The forecast shows a solid 6 ft to 6 ft SW groundswell with a nice 14-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the NE. The data says "expect very good surf conditions" and "clean." This is a much more manageable size than the 10 ft+ days, but still has plenty of punch. The energy is moderate (1231 to 1526), but the quality will be top-notch. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Crowds are possible at The Window, so get there early.

So, to sum it up: Tuesday the 14th for the big, clean, expert-level swell, and Monday the 27th for the slightly smaller, equally clean, and more accessible session. The rest of the 16 days is a washout or just marginal.

Rusty.

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