Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's take a look at what's coming up for the next couple of weeks.

Overall, it's a pretty quiet stretch, with a lot of small, clean but weak surf. The water temp is sitting around 81° at Tunnels, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The pattern is dominated by a persistent cross-off breeze from the ENE through most of the period. That keeps the surface clean, but the swell is small and the energy just isn't there. From Sunday the 30th through to Thursday the 4th of September, it's a real struggle. We're looking at waves mostly under 3 ft with a combined energy ranging from 160 to 504 (weak to moderate), and the swell is coming from the SSW with a long period of 14 to 18 seconds. That's a long-period groundswell, which can be a bit tricky at a beach break like Tunnels—it can make it break a bit too straight. The scores are all zero or one, so it's a flat spell.

There's a bit of a hiccup on Friday the 5th of September. The wind shifts to a light offshore from the ESE, which is a massive positive. Swell bumps up to 4 ft to 5 ft, but the period drops right off to just 6 to 8 seconds. That's short-period, wind-driven stuff, so it's not going to have much push. The energy is moderate (244 to 324). It's a marginal option, but if you're keen, it could be an interesting novelty.

After that, the pattern goes back to the same old story: small, long-period SSW swell and clean but onshore-angled wind from the 6th to the 8th of September. The swell energy spikes up to 723 (moderate) on the 7th, but the wind is strong (28 to 31 mph) and the waves are only 3 ft, so it's a bit of a washout. Wednesday the 9th of September might be the pick of the second week. The wind drops to a light breeze from the ENE at 6 mph, and the swell is 2 ft from the SSW with a 14-second period and a combined energy of 209 (weak). The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions" and it's clean. It's not a standout, but it's the best looking window.

The real highlight, if you can call it that, is Saturday the 12th of September. We've got a gentle offshore breeze from the E at 9 mph, with a 2 ft swell from the SSW at a very long 18-second period. The combined energy is 304 (moderate). It's clean, it's offshore, and the long period will give it some shape. It's a small day, but it's the most promising looking session of the whole run. The break is Tunnels, which is an intermediate spot, and it's fairly consistent. Crowds are often here, so keep that in mind. It's a consistent break, so it's worth a paddle.

The rest of the second week from the 11th to the 14th of September is much the same: small, long-period SSW swell with clean conditions but not enough size to get excited about. The wind is moderate to fresh from the ENE on most days.

So, to sum it up, the standout is Saturday the 12th for a clean, small, offshore session. The other potential is the Wednesday the 9th, but it's small. The run from the 30th to the 4th is a write-off, and the first week is mostly a gap for decent surf. Keep an eye on the 12th.

Rusty

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