Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break it down for the imperial crowd.

We’ve got a 16-day window for Tunnels, and the first week is a flat, windy mess. The real highlight is a long way out, but it’s worth waiting for.

From Monday the 27th of July to Sunday the 2nd of August, the wind is blowing cross-off from the NE and ENE at 15 to 25 mph. That’s a fresh breeze, making the surface messy. The swell is tiny, 1 ft to 3 ft, coming from S or SSW, with a period of 13 to 15 seconds. The combined energy is weak to moderate, ranging from 69 to 432 (moderate wave energy). Water temp is 80°, with a tiny anomaly of 0.5° – about average for the time of year. Not much to get excited about.

Then we get a small window. Wednesday the 29th of July afternoon, the wind drops to a gentle SSE breeze at 9 mph, cross-off, and the surf cleans up. The swell is still only 2 ft from SSW, period 13 seconds, but energy is at 208 (moderate wave energy). Thursday the 30th of July morning is the best early call: offshore wind from the E at 6 mph, clean, with 3 ft from S, period 14 seconds, energy at 390 (moderate wave energy). That’s a few clean little waves. Not a bomb, but it’s surfable.

After that, the wind picks up again from ENE, and the swell drops to 1 ft to 2 ft through the first week of August. Energy dips to 88 to 277 (weak to moderate). It’s a grind.

The real standout is the last weekend. Saturday the 8th of August, we get a pulse from SW at 1 ft, but with a very long period of 18 seconds. Energy jumps to 277 (moderate wave energy). The wind is still cross-off from ENE at 19 mph, but it’s clean. The long period (18 seconds) is a groundswell – it’s prone to breaking straight at a beach break like Tunnels. It’s better for a point or reef, but if the sandbars are right, it could produce some fun, well-shaped waves. This is the best on offer, but it’s 10 days out, so not a sure thing. Sunday the 9th of August is similar but smaller.

Tuesday the 11th of August shows a 2 ft to 3 ft S swell with period 10 to 12 seconds, energy at 232 to 245 (moderate wave energy), but the wind is cross-off from E and ENE. It’s marginal.

If you’re a kite surfer, the first week’s strong cross-off winds and small, lumpy surf are more interesting. For a paddle surfer, you’re waiting for Thursday the 30th of July morning, or the long-range hope on Saturday the 8th of August. Keep checking the forecasts, because this run is slow, but it tends not to stay poor for long.

Stay patient, and stay wet.

Rusty.

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