Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's be straight with you – looking at the whole 16-day window for our area, it's a bit of a slow burn. We start off with very little to get excited about, and it takes a while for the ocean to wake up. The real action, what we're waiting for, kicks off in the second week, but even then it's not your classic clean Tahitian dream. The go-to spot here is Tunnels.

Right now, and through the first week of August, it's pretty flat out at Tunnels. We're looking at tiny swell, barely 1 ft to 2 ft, coming from the SSW with a 14-second period. That's a groundswell, but it's just got no push. The water's sitting at a warm 80°, which is about average for the time of year. But the winds – a constant 15 to 25 mph cross-off from the ENE – are just killing any chance of a wave. The energy is weak, coming in at just 174 on the combined energy scale. It's just not doing anything. This poor run goes through Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend, and right through the week into the next.

We hit a bit of a lull in the middle of the week, August 5th and 6th, where the swell really drops out, with energy falling to just 50, before it starts to hum again.

Now, by the 7th of August, the swell period starts to stretch out. On Friday the 7th, we see a 20-second period swell, which is seriously long-period energy. The swell height is still small at 1 ft, but the energy kicks up to 191. This is the first hint that something's coming.

The real standout for this forecast period is Monday the 10th of August. Through the day, the swell builds to 3 ft from the SSW, and the combined energy hits 501. That's moderate energy. The wind is still a cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph, which keeps the surface clean, but it's a strong breeze. The waves are still in that marginal quality zone, which is a bit of a bummer. It's better than what we've had, but not a world-class day.

Then Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th look like the best we're going to get. On Wednesday the 12th, we get a 4 ft SSW swell with a 17-second period. The combined energy rockets up to 1180 – that's strong wave energy. The wind is still cross-off from the ENE at 16 mph, so it's clean. But the size is bang on for a solid intermediate session. That's the window. Keep in mind, with that 17-second period, the surf at Tunnels should be pretty well-shaped, with good power and longer waits between sets. After that, it drops off into another patch of poor conditions for the second weekend, with energy still high but the quality dropping.

So, if you're looking for a window, Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th of August are your best shots. It won't be epic, but it'll be the best surf we see in this entire 16-day block. The crowds at Tunnels can be a problem, so be prepared to share.

Rusty.

Read more