Tices Sholls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for our little patch. I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one to write. The outlook for the next couple of weeks is looking pretty flat and ordinary. There's nothing that jumps out as a real standout, so keep the expectations low.

We’re looking at Tices Sholls, a sandbar spot that’s best for beginners. Over the first week, from Tuesday the 7th through to the following Sunday, the surf is going to be small and weak, with combined wave energy mostly sitting in the double digits, like 116 (moderate energy) down to 23 (weak energy). The swell directions are all over the place – from the ENE to the S – but the swell heights are tiny, ranging from about 1 ft up to maybe 4 ft. The period is short too, mostly 6 to 8 seconds, which means weak, close-out waves. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Tuesday morning the 7th sees a light rain and a 16 mph cross-shore wind from the NE, making things choppy. That theme sticks around. Wednesday the 8th morning has a gentler breeze, 9 mph, but it’s cross-onshore and still choppy. Thursday the 9th morning is a little cleaner with some clouds and a 9 mph cross-shore from the SSW, but the swell is only 2 ft. Friday the 10th is one of the better moments of the whole period – a clear morning with a light 6 mph cross-offshore breeze from the WSW and clean conditions. But the swell is just 1 ft, so it’s more of a float than a surf.

Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th see the swell drop further, with onshore winds building up to 22 mph and lumpy conditions. It’s pretty much a write-off.

Now, after a long gap of flat, small junk, we finally see a slight flicker of life. Friday the 17th morning has a clear sky, a moderate 12 mph offshore wind from the WNW, and clean conditions. The swell is 2 ft from the E with a 7-second period – still very small, but clean. That afternoon is similar. Saturday the 18th morning is the closest thing to a highlight: glassy conditions with a 3 mph wind from the SSW and a clean surface. The swell is 2 ft from the SSE with a 7-second period, and the combined energy is 72 (still weak). It’s surfable but very ordinary.

After that, we slide back into small, choppy conditions through to the end of the outlook on Wednesday the 22nd. The winds turn onshore again, and the swell stays below 3 ft for the most part. On Tuesday the 21st, the swell bumps up to 4 ft to 5 ft from the ENE, but with a 5 to 6-second period and onshore wind, it’s basically a messy, sloppy shorebreak.

Overall, this is a bleak 16-day stretch. Most days have no real surf to speak of. The best you can hope for is a small, clean wave on Friday the 17th or Saturday the 18th, but it’s really only for a longboard or a foiler. For anyone else, it’s a good time to tune up the gear or just enjoy the beach.

Rusty.

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