13th Ave South Surfside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight out the gate: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty darn quiet for 13th Ave South Surfside. The surf is mostly small, often messy, and there’s not a single standout session that’ll have you racing for your board. The first real chance for a wave that’s even worth a look doesn’t roll in until Thursday the 20th of August, and even then, it’s a very ordinary affair.

The water is sitting at 84° at the start of the period, which is about normal for the time of year, so nothing to write home about there.

Alright, let’s break it down. The first few days—right through to the middle of the month—are a write-off. Tiny swell, 1 ft to 3 ft at best, with short periods under 8 seconds. The wind is all over the shop: cross-on, choppy, and generally making a mess of things. There’s a brief moment of glass on Sunday the 9th morning, but the swell is only 1 ft and weak, with combined energy of just 19 – not enough to push a sea turtle. It’s a frustrating start.

We then get a long stretch of clean, cross-off winds from the 11th to the 14th, but the swell stays stubbornly small, between 0.7 ft and 2 ft. The energy is weak, readings like 11, 13, 20… nothing with any grunt. It’s the kind of setup where you might get a longboard slide, but it’s a whole lot of effort for very little reward. The glassy conditions on Thursday afternoon the 13th and Friday afternoon the 14th are pretty, but there’s just no swell to use them.

The only time the beach sees any real pulse is on Thursday the 20th of August, in the morning. We get a 1 ft swell from the SE, but the period jumps to 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, and combined energy hits 63. The wind goes offshore from the WNW, barely 5 mph, clean as a whistle. It’s the single best window in the whole forecast. But honestly, it’s still only 1 ft. Surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon of that same day brings a slightly bigger 3 ft pulse from the SSW, but the period is a weak 6 seconds and the wind goes cross-on, so it’s back to messy.

After that, we’re back to tiny, weak surf through the 21st and 22nd, with a glassy moment on the 22nd morning but only 2 ft on offer.

Overall, this is a tough stretch. The surf is inconsistent, mostly small, and the wind only plays nice when the swell is flat. The best you’ll get is a clean, tiny wave on the morning of the 20th, but don’t expect much. If you’re a beginner, the small size is safe, but there’s hardly any power to learn on. If you’re a local, you’re probably better off checking the forecast again in a few days – things can change, and it rarely stays this quiet for long.

Stay patient,
Rusty

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