Udo Shrine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch. To be straight with you, the next two weeks are a real mixed bag for Udo Shrine (Japan). This is a reef break, exposed to the south swell, and it’s inconsistent, so it takes a pretty specific window to line up.

Right now, we’re looking at a lot of tiny, weak surf. The water’s sitting at a warm 84°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year — no big surprises there.

The best bet in the whole 16-day window is shaping up to be the morning of Thursday, August 4th. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell coming in from the ESE with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s some deep ocean groundswell. The combined energy is through the roof at 2141 (strong), so there’s plenty of push. The wind is a cross-onshore from the NE at 9 mph, which will keep things a bit bumpy, but for a reef break, that long period should carve out some nice lines. Because it’s over 8ft, this is strictly for the experts. The long period also means it might be a bit straight at the take-off, but the reef structure should sort it out. Expect crowds here often, so get out early.

The morning of Wednesday, August 3rd is a bit of a tease. The swell is only 2ft, but the period jumps to 17 seconds with energy at 315 (moderate). It’s a clean cross-offshore wind from the NE, but it’s just too small to really get excited about. You might snag a few waist-high runners if you’re patient.

The rest of the first week is mostly flat or tiny. From Thursday the 23rd through to Monday the 1st of August, the waves are hovering around 0.7ft to 2ft, with poor to ordinary conditions. The energy is low, mostly under 100 (weak). A few mornings, like Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th, go glassy, which is beautiful, but with only 1ft to 2ft of swell, it’s a longboard or a SUP day at best.

The second week gets a bit more interesting. The morning of Thursday, August 4th is the standout. But the day before, Monday the 3rd, has a pulse of 2ft swell with a 17-second period, but the wind is onshore, so it’s messy. The real size comes in on the 4th and 5th, with 7ft to 7ft swell from the east, but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the quality marginal. The energy is massive — 2656 on the morning of the 5th — but it’s not clean. By Friday the 7th, the wind cranks up to 19 to 28 mph, making it a total mess. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling one.

So, if you’re an expert and can handle some chop, the morning of Thursday, August 4th is your only real window. For everyone else, it’s a long wait for a clean, rideable wave.

Rusty.

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