Udo Shrine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, it’s Rusty. Let’s be straight up: the next week or so is a real struggle. Udo Shrine (Japan) is the only game in town, and for the first many days, it’s mostly flat or tiny with poor conditions. The water’s 84°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least a warm wait.

We kick off Wednesday the 22nd with a tiny 3ft easterly swell, but it’s a cross-shore SE breeze and the energy is weak (147). Not worth paddling out. Thursday the 23rd morning sees totally glassy conditions, but the swell drops to 2ft and the energy’s only 95. You could get a few knee-high dribblers, but it’s ordinary. The rest of the week stays small, with most days seeing 0.7ft to 2ft – lots of glassy mornings but next to no push. The energy stays under 100 for days, and the odd mod pulse (174 on Monday the 27th) is spoiled by cross-onshore or cross winds. It’s lean. There’s a gap of several days with no real surf to speak of.

But hold on. Saturday the 1st of August, things start to shift. The morning is glassy, with a 2ft easterly swell that has a long 18-second period and a solid kick of energy (340). It’s still small, but the quality is there. This is the first sign of life.

The real standout is Sunday the 2nd of August. We’re looking at a 6ft east swell with a 17-second period and very strong energy (1826). The wind is glassy in the morning. This is a serious groundswell, and it’s going to be too big for beginners, but for experienced surfers, those conditions are excellent. The long period means it’ll be better shaped and more powerful at this reef break, but it can also make it a bit bowling – keep your wits about you. The crowd factor is "often", so don’t expect solitude.

Monday the 3rd of August is even bigger, with 7ft east swell and a 16-second period, and energy at 2588. Again, glassy morning winds. This is expert territory – over 8ft is on the horizon for Tuesday, so the experienced crew will have a window. The east swell direction is a good match for the break’s optimum southerly direction, so it’ll wrap in nicely.

The long-range into the second week holds that pulse, with Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th still showing big east swell (8ft and 6ft) but with risk of thunderstorms. The energy remains huge (3567 and 1443). The window is there, but the storm risk adds some uncertainty. The surf then drops off sharply by Thursday the 6th.

So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off. Your best bet is the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August at Udo Shrine – that’s the one to circle. The Monday morning after that is also a cracker for the experienced crew. Everything else is a gamble or a flat wait.

Rusty.

Read more