Playa Varesse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, looking at the next 16 days for our stretch of coast. It's a bit of a tale of two halves, so let's get into it.

We start off with a bit of a flat spell. The first few days are a slow grind, with small, weak swell and not much to get excited about. The water is sitting at 51°, which is a solid 3.6° warmer than what we usually get this time of year – that's a big deal, the lake is feeling properly summery.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Tuesday morning, the 4th of August. It's not a standout, but it's the best of a slow start. Head to Playa Varesse (Varese). The swell is a small 3.3 ft from the SE with a period of 10 seconds, giving us a moderate wave energy of 230. The real winner here is the wind – a clean WSW offshore at just 3 mph, which will leave the surface glassy. The break is consistent and works best with an ESE swell, so the SE direction is close enough to be fun. It's a beginner-friendly spot, so expect a few other people out there, as crowds are sometimes an issue.

The rest of that first week is a write-off. From Wednesday the 5th through to Sunday the 9th, we've got a mix of tiny swell and poor wind directions, with a lot of cross-onshore chop. The wind cranks up from the WSW on the 9th, hitting 22 mph – that's fresh offshore, but the swell is under 3 ft. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, hold onto your board, because things get real on Monday the 10th of August. Out of nowhere, a serious pulse of long-period groundswell arrives. We're talking 11.5 ft of swell from the south, with a period of 12-13 seconds. The combined energy is massive: 2923 on Monday morning, ramping up to a monstrous 4651 by the afternoon. This is expert-level territory. The winds are light cross-offshore from the WNW, which will keep it clean, but the sheer size and power make this a spot for experienced surfers only. The long period means it'll be a bit straight at the beach, so look for a point or a reef if you're brave enough.

The energy drops a bit on Tuesday the 11th, but it's still pumping. The morning has 7.5 ft from the SSE, and the afternoon picks up to 8.2 ft from the S, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is still very strong, around 2323, and the wind stays light and cross-offshore from the SW. This is another day for the experienced crew. The water is still that warm 51°.

After that, the swell fades fast. From Wednesday the 12th through to the end of the window, it's back to small, weak, and poor conditions. The wind turns onshore from the ESE and later the NNE, bringing choppy, lumpy conditions. There's a little bump on Monday the 17th with 4.6 ft of swell, but it's from the ENE with a short period and cross-shore wind, so it's not worth the effort.

Honestly, the standout sessions are Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th. That's the big, powerful swell with clean winds. If you're not an expert, sit that one out. For the rest of us, the first week is a slow, small-wave grind with a couple of clean but tiny windows.

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