Tubes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’.

We’ve got a run ahead at Tubes that starts this Sunday, August 16th, and honestly, it’s a slow builder. The early surf is clean but modest. Sunday morning brings a clean 5ft swell out of the SW with a 13-second period, and the water is sitting at a very unusual 53° – that’s far colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want the thickest rubber you’ve got. The wave energy is moderate at 859, but it’s a gentle start. The wind is cross-offshore, so lines will be workable.

We start to really see it come alive on Monday, August 17th. The swell jumps to a solid 7ft from the SW, with a longer 14-second period pushing moderate-to-strong energy (1788). Light offshore winds all day mean clean, peeling walls. This is where it gets fun for the competent surfer. By Tuesday, August 18th, the swell is holding around 6ft to 8ft, and by the afternoon, the energy is up to 2063 – strong. It’s gettin’ powerful.

Wednesday, August 19th, is a real standout. Morning glass-off with the wind swinging WSW at only 3 mph and a clean 8ft SW groundswell. Combined energy is 2132; the waves will have proper push. These conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon stiffens up a bit with a 15 mph offshore breeze, still manageable for the bold.

Thursday, August 20th, is one for the bigger-wave crew. Swell hits 10ft in the morning and builds to 11ft by the afternoon. Energy readings are high (2555 to 3557), S-SW wind keeps it clean, but at over 8ft, this is strictly for experts. That continues into early Friday, August 21st, with another glassy mornin' and a 8ft swell.

There’s a wildcard on the weekend of August 22nd. Saturday gets messy with strong cross-offshore winds up to 31 mph and the waves won’t be worth the paddle. That clears quickly, though, because from Sunday, August 23rd, we have the true gold. This is the best on offer.

Sunday the 23rd through Monday the 24th is an absolute ramp-up. A 11ft to 13ft SSW swell with a very long 16-second period. The energy numbers are massive – 8583 on Sunday afternoon, 7830 Monday morning. That’s very strong, world-class energy. But a long period groundswell like this – at 16 seconds – can be tricky. At a reef-and-point setup like Tubes, the wave will stand up nicely, but it might be too straight for some beach breaks. Given the direction matches the optimum (SSW), this is a heavyweight session for experts only. The wind is glassy or light offshore, making it as clean as it gets.

Tuesday the 25th drops off into onshore slop and marginal conditions. The rest of the week builds back up, but the wind turns fickle. Wednesday the 26th looks interesting with a 6ft, 18-second ultra-long-period swell and clean glass-off wind, but the afternoon turns cross-onshore and messy. Towards the very end, Sunday, August 30th, has solid 11ft SW groundswell with a 15-16 second period and strong energy (over 5000), but the wind is blustery, so it's questionable.

Monday, August 31st, finishes the run with a glassy 11ft swell but again, it’s for the experienced crew before the onshore wind chops it up.

The takeaway? The standout is Sunday and Monday, August 23rd and 24th. That’s the big, clean, very long-period groundswell hitting at a solid 13ft with light winds. It’s the best of the 16 days. Mid-week, the mornings are your friend for cleaner conditions. And don’t forget the arctic water temps.

Rusty out.

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