Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's look at what’s on the table for Tunnels. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, but there's a genuine gem waiting for us if we’re patient.

Right now, though, it's a grind. The water temp is sitting at a very average 80°, so nothing unusual there for this time of year. But the surf? It's small and pretty weak through the first week and a half. You're looking at tiny 1ft to 2ft swells from the SW and SSW, with the combined energy struggling to get out of the double digits most days, sitting around (340) or dropping down to (84). The wind is a constant cross-off from the ENE or NE, meaning the waves look clean but there's just no power behind them. It’s poor surf, pure and simple, and honestly, for a break this exposed, that lack of energy is frustrating.

There’s a very long gap here with nothing worth getting wet for. The energy does build a bit around the middle of the month, the 15th and 16th seeing combined energy numbers of (434) and (577), but the quality is still rated as poor or marginal. The swell is just too weak and the wind is still that cross-off at a solid 15-19 mph. Not the combo we want.

The first real standout arrives on Tuesday the 22nd. For the first time in the whole run, we see a proper offshore wind, with the E breeze dropping to that light 9 mph range in the morning. The waves are still modest at 2ft from the SSW, but with the smoother wind, the conditions are described as "gentle offshore and clean." The combined energy jumps to (204) - not huge, but a solid boost. This is a morning session for the surfer who wants clean lines, even if the swell isn't pumping. Still, it's ordinary in the afternoon as the wind shifts.

But the real golden window, the one you want to mark in your calendar, is Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th of September. That’s our true standout. Thursday morning brings that magical phrase: glassy. The wind from the SSE is just 3 mph, the combined energy is a strong (650), and the swell is a clean 3ft from the SSW. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and with a period of 18 seconds, that's proper groundswell energy. This long-period swell could make the beach break a bit straight, but at Tunnels, it should wrap in nicely. Friday morning is almost a carbon copy, with that sweet offshore SE breeze at 6 mph, a solid 3ft swell, and combined energy of (615). The afternoon stays good too. This is the time to be there. The water is clean, the wind light, and there’s real power in the water.

So, the short story: a whole lot of nothing for most of the next two weeks, then a couple of promising but not perfect days around the 22nd, followed by a very promising, clean couple of days right at the end of the month. If you can hold out, the 24th and 25th are the ones to chase.

Rusty.

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