Three Peaks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight—this 16-day window at Three Peaks is a tough one to call. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year—that’s notably warm, feels more like a late-summer hangover.

Right from the start on September 16th, we’ve got a bit of swell around 5 ft from the west with a middling period, but the wind is a cross-shore mess and the energy’s moderate at best (440). The surf is poor, and the rating tells the real story: don’t even bother paddling out. This stretch of ugly wind and choppy conditions drags on through the 17th, 18th, and 19th—swell bumps up to 7 ft on Saturday, but it’s blown out with onshore winds. That size, with that wind, is only going to appeal to a few die-hard experts or maybe the kite crew, not the average surfer.

We finally catch a break on Sunday September 20th—the morning goes glassy, wind drops to just 3 mph from the WNW, and we’ve got clean 3 ft swell from the WSW with a period bumping up to 9 seconds. The energy is moderate (151) and it’s the cleanest it’s been all week. Good conditions for the beginner-friendly break, but the swell is tiny. Still, that’s the standout of the first week.

After that, it’s all downhill again. The 21st and 22nd see very small waves—2 ft to 2 ft—with offshore or glassy mornings, but honestly, it’s barely breaking. On the 22nd afternoon, we get a surprise: clean glassy conditions, a long-period 17-second groundswell from the west pushing through, and the energy jumps to 277. But the wave height is only 2 ft. That long period means it’ll be clean but very straight at the beach—better suited to a reef or point, not this break. It’s a tease.

From September 23rd to September 29th, it’s mostly tiny, clean but weak—waves under 2 ft, light offshore breezes, but nothing worth the drive. There’s a period of about six to seven days with no proper surf on offer. Then on Tuesday September 29th, there’s a late-afternoon pulse: the swell jumps to 7 ft from the southwest with a moderate 10-second period, and the energy cranks up to 880—that’s strong wave energy. Winds are offshore from the east, so it’ll be clean. That’s the one to keep an eye on for experienced surfers only, as 7 ft is pushing beyond beginner territory. It’s the best chance in the whole outlook, but it’s far out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

For the rest of the run into October 1st, it’s small again—waist-high or less, gentle offshore winds, but just not enough push to get excited about.

So overall: if you’re chasing the best, Sunday morning September 20th is your clean, small window, and the real standout to circle is Tuesday afternoon September 29th for the bigger, clean groundswell if you’re skilled enough to handle it. Otherwise, it’s a quiet stretch with a lot of waiting.

Rusty.

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