13th Ave South Surfside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s chew the fat on this one. To be straight with you, 13th Ave South Surfside is in for a pretty grim stretch. The finder ain’t giving me a single recommendation across the whole 16-day window, and when you look at the guidance, it’s an inconsistent beginner spot that’s exposed to the swell, but the optimum direction is from the SE. The problem is, the swell that does show up is tiny, the wind is mostly junk, and the setup just isn’t working for paddle surfing.

Right now, from Friday the 31st of July, it’s all small stuff. We’re talking a 1ft swell from the SSE with a weak 6-second period, and the combined energy is only a measly 10, so there’s nothing in the water. The wind is a cross-on, and it’s just poor. The water temp is sitting at 84°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a bit notable, but it doesn’t help the surf.

Moving into the first week of August, it’s a real bummer. The swell nudges up a little, like on Sunday the 2nd we get a 4ft swell from the SE, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the energy jumps to 109 (moderate), but the wind is a fresh cross-on at 19 mph, making it choppy and lumpy. Monday the 3rd has a 4ft swell from the S with a 7-second period, energy at 155 (still moderate), but it’s a cross-shore wind with a cross-chop. It’s all just poor surf conditions. The wind is never favourable for clean waves; it’s mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and even when it goes glassy on Thursday morning the 6th, the swell is only 2ft with a 7-second period and energy of 21. You’d be bobbing around on nothing.

The second week doesn’t get any better. There’s a gap of several days where the surf is just flat or tiny. Finally, on Tuesday the 11th of August, we see a slight pulse: a 3ft swell from the S with a 5-second period, energy at 58 (weak), but the wind is a clean cross-off. That’s the first time we get a “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” comment, scoring a 1 out of 10. It’s not good, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. Wednesday the 12th morning is also glassy with a 3ft swell from the SSW, 5-second period, energy at 60 (weak), and again a 1 out of 10 score. That’s about as good as it gets.

Honestly, for a surf report, there’s nothing here to get excited about. The swell is too small, the period is short, and the wind is mostly trash. For a beginner spot that’s inconsistent, this kind of blank run is a bit more normal for the area. It’s a beach break, and with that tiny, weak swell and bumpy conditions, it looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Keep your board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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