12th Street Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, crew, Rusty here. I've been staring at the charts and I've got to tell you, it's looking bleak for the next couple of weeks. We're in the middle of a proper flat spell, the kind that makes you wonder if you accidentally left your board at home.

From now until the end of the month, the surf is mostly ankle-slashers. There is one day out towards the end that looks semi-promising, but we have to wait a long time for it. Let's take it day by day.

Saturday, Aug 15th is a total waste. We have a tiny 0.3ft wave from the southeast, with a weak period and a cross-breeze. The energy is basically non-existent. Water's 77°, which is 3° warmer than usual for this time of year – that's quite noticeable.

Sunday, Aug 16th is a no-go. The swell only reaches 1ft in the morning. The period drops to a junky 6 seconds, and the wind swings south and picks up to 19 mph in the afternoon, making it a choppy mess.

Monday, Aug 17th, the swell disappears completely. Zero energy. The wind is off, the ocean is clean, but there is absolutely nothing to ride.

Tuesday through Thursday, Aug 18th-20th, we see tiny bumps of 0.3ft to 1ft. Thursday morning looks glassy with a 1ft wave from the southeast, but it's only an 8-second period. It's not worth the paddle.

Friday, Aug 21st shows a little life. A 3ft wave from the ENE tries to fill in, and the energy jumps to 76. But the period is a shocker at just 6 seconds. The morning wind is onshore, but it switches offshore in the afternoon, cleaning up a 3ft wave. Still, the quality is poor.

After that, it's back to sleep. From the 22nd to the 25th, we're back down to 0.7ft to 1ft slop.

Now, for the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a weak one. On Wednesday, Aug 26th, the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds. That’s a real groundswell out there, even if it's only 1ft. By the afternoon, it's 1ft with a 14-second period. The energy is climbing.

Thursday, Aug 27th, is the first day that catches my eye. The swell builds to 2ft from the southeast with a 12-second period. The combined energy hits 146, which is moderate. This is the first day you might actually catch something rideable.

Friday, Aug 28th eases back to 2ft.

Saturday, Aug 29th, the size bumps up to a very messy 3ft. The wind turns into a moderate cross-shore blow, making it choppy.

Sunday, Aug 30th is our best bet. The swell pushes up to 4ft to 4ft from the ESE, and the energy peaks at 169. The period is short, only 8 seconds, but the wind finally turns offshore and the surf cleans up. This is the only day I'd really make the trip down to 12th Street Jetty (beach/jetty). It's going to be the biggest and cleanest surf we get in this entire window.

So there you have it. A long, flat wait for a glimmer of hope on the 30th. It's not a great outlook, but it's better than nothing. Get your gear ready and be ready to jump when that onshore flow finally switches off.

Rusty, out.

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