12th Street Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it, 'cause I’ve got the outlook for the next couple of weeks at 12th Street Jetty and it’s a tough one to swallow.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a long stretch of nothing, I mean barely a ripple. There’s a solid gap of near-flat conditions from now until the middle of the next week. The first half of the 16-day window is basically a write-off for any decent paddle. You’ll see a little bump of 1.0ft to 2ft on Sunday the 9th, but the swell's coming from the SE with a short period of 6 to 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a measly 10 to 32. It’s just not enough push. The wind is mostly cross-off or light, so the water will look clean, but there’s no wave to ride.

Monday the 10th through to Sunday the 16th is a flat spell. We’re talking swell heights of 0.3ft, and combined energy readings dropping to single digits. It’s a ghost town out there. On the 16th, the morning’s glassy, but again, it’s only 0.3ft. You’d be better off floating on a pool noodle.

Then we get to Tuesday the 18th of August, and there’s a tiny flicker. A 1.0ft swell from the SE with a very long period of 15 seconds pops up, and the combined energy climbs to 48. That’s weak, but it’s the first real sign of life. The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. But with that period, it’s going to be super straight at this beach/jetty setup, so don’t expect any real shape.

The real standout, if you can call it that in this bleak forecast, comes on Thursday the 20th. The morning shows a 3ft SE swell, period 11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 194. That’s moderate energy, and it’s the biggest we’ll see. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’ll be a little bumpy, but it’s the best option in a bad batch. The afternoon gets a 4ft SE swell, but the period drops to 5 seconds, which is just slop, and the energy falls to 92. Not great.

After that, it’s right back to the doldrums for the rest of the window. Small 1ft to 2ft stuff, short periods, and a lot of cross-on wind. The water temp is sitting at 77°F for the first day, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so at least it’ll be pleasant to sit and wait for nothing.

Honestly, the only break that *might* offer a ride is the 12th Street Jetty, but it’s an advanced spot, and with these tiny, inconsistent swells, it’s barely worth a look. The 3ft Thursday morning slot is the best of a very poor bunch, but I wouldn’t be rushing to get the wetsuit on. The rest of the 16 days is a total blank. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but as it stands, it’s a pretty grim run.

Rusty, signing off.

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