West Dale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you—this stretch ahead for West Dale is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is a run of poor surf conditions, with no real standout sessions to get excited about. We're looking at a long, flat spell with barely a ripple, then a bit of a pulse later on that's still messy and not worth paddling out for. First decent sign of life doesn't come until the 27th, but even then, it's a mixed bag.

Right now, from Thursday the 13th, we're stuck with tiny, weak swell. Thursday morning's got a light cross-shore with 3ft from the WSW, but the period is 10 seconds, and the combined energy is only 143 (moderate) – and it's already described as poor. The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is about average for the time of year. That little pulse fades fast. Friday and Saturday are even smaller, dropping to 2ft and then 2ft, with periods falling to 7 or 8 seconds and energy dropping into the double digits. The wind is clean on Saturday, but there's simply no wave to ride.

Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th are flat. We're talking 1.0ft and then 0.3ft, with a long-period 18-second groundswell on Monday that's barely registering. The energy is pathetic (17 and 18), so it's not worth a second look. That gap of nothing lasts from the 16th right through to the 23rd.

Then, on Tuesday the 18th, we get a spike. The swell jumps to 5ft from the WSW, but it's a short-period 7 seconds, and the combined energy rises to 223 (moderate). The problem? It's cross-onshore, choppy, and coming in at 12 mph. By afternoon it's even worse—on-shore at 19 mph and 4ft junk. That's not a surf session; that's a kite session. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The rest of the week from the 19th to the 25th is a frustrating mix of tiny swell (0.7ft to 2ft) with periods all over the place. The 21st of August has a moment of glassy conditions on the Friday morning, but it's only 1.0ft and 9 seconds – not enough to push a log. The 22nd Saturday morning has clean cross-off wind and a 1.0ft, 15-second groundswell, which is a tease more than anything.

The 23rd gives us a bit of hope: 3ft from the WSW at 8 seconds in the morning, with clean cross-off wind from the SE at 12 mph. The energy is 175 (moderate). But it's short period, and the afternoon turns to rain. The 24th and 25th have clean, offshore winds, but the swell is back down to 0.7ft or 1.0ft. It's a clean, flat ocean.

Finally, the 27th of August. Thursday morning brings 4ft from the S, but with a terrible 5-second period and a combined energy of 95 (weak). The wind is cross-off, but that period is too short for any sort of shape. Thursday afternoon is a little better: 4ft from the WSW, 7 seconds, and the energy jumps to 214 (moderate). The wind is strong, at 25 mph, cross-off, so it's clean but blown out. This is the only real window in the whole forecast, but the short period and strong breeze mean it's not going to be pretty. The 28th fades again.

Honestly, nothing here is a standout. The best on offer is probably the 23rd morning for a short, messy session if you're desperate, or the 27th afternoon for a bit of size, but it's for experts only with that short-period, wind-affected stuff. For the rest of us, it's a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a blank run.

Rusty.

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