Tower Road Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me break it down for ya. This is Rusty.

First off, I gotta be straight with you: we’re looking at a pretty quiet stretch here at Tower Road (sandbar). The next 16 days don’t offer much in the way of proper surf. The first couple of weeks are mostly flat or ankle-biters, with a lot of small, weak swell and less-than-ideal wind.

We kick off on Sunday afternoon, August 9th, with a tiny 0.3m (1 ft) SE swell and a short period of 7 seconds. The water is sitting at a warm 78°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but with light cross-off winds, the conditions are clean, just no real energy. The combined swell energy is a weak 14, so not much to get excited about.

The pattern stays very small right through the following week. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th see similar 0.4m (1 ft) swells from the SSE, but the periods are short, between 5 and 6 seconds. The winds are light and variable, but the wave quality is just not there. On Tuesday afternoon, we get a brief moment of glassy conditions with the wind dropping to zero, but the swell is only 0.3m (1 ft), so it’s a flat, clean lake.

Wednesday the 12th through to Saturday the 15th is more of the same: tiny 0.1m (0.3 ft) to 0.4m (1 ft) swells, mostly cross-shore or light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy rarely climbs above 20, and the wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions." There’s nothing here for a surfer to chase.

We then hit a real lull from Sunday the 16th through to Tuesday the 18th of August. The swell stays tiny (0.1m to 0.4m / 0.3 ft to 1 ft), and the winds freshen up, especially on the 16th with 30-35 km/h (19-22 mph) southerly winds. The energy is in the single digits or low 30s. Not a single decent wave in sight. It’s worth noting that the longer-period swell that arrives on Tuesday the 18th morning (15 seconds) is from the SE, but it’s only 0.4m (1 ft), so it’s a long-period ripple with very little push.

Now, here’s the only real standout in the whole outlook. It comes on Wednesday, August 19th. The morning sees a 0.4m (1 ft) swell from the SE, with a period of 12 seconds, and a gentle offshore wind from the WSW. The conditions are described as "surfable waves but very ordinary," and the combined energy jumps to 69. By the afternoon, the swell bumps up slightly to 0.5m (2 ft), still from the SE with a 12-second period, and the wind switches to a light cross-off from the W. The energy reaches 95. This is the best the whole period has to offer. It’s still small, but the longer period gives the waves a bit more shape and push, and the clean wind will keep the surface smooth. It’s not a day for big boards, but a log or a longboard will be your friend. For a beginner-friendly sandbar, the 0.5m (2 ft) is ideal, and the light winds will make it a pleasant paddle. Crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have company, but nothing crazy.

Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st drop back down to poor conditions with small, weak swell and cross-onshore or light offshore winds that just can’t build any quality. The energy falls into the 30s and 40s.

The final days, Saturday the 22nd through Monday the 24th of August, are a quiet end to the period. Tiny 0.2m (0.7 ft) to 0.4m (1 ft) swells, with glassy conditions on the 22nd morning and again on the 24th morning, but the swell is too small to ride. The longer-period (12 seconds) on the 24th is a tease, but without any size, it’s just a clean flat ocean.

So, to sum it up: this is a classic dry spell for Tower Road. Don’t expect much for the next two weeks. The only window worth checking is Wednesday, August 19th, with a small but clean long-period swell. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and wait for the next system.

Rusty.

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