White Crest Beach (Wellfleet) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at White Crest Beach (Wellfleet). Looking at the 16-day window, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a quiet stretch for the most part. The energy is weak, with the combined swell energy sitting at just 64 for the first session, and it doesn't get much better for a long time. The water temp is around 70°, which is about 2° warmer than usual for this time of year, so nothing crazy, just a touch on the mild side.

We kick things off on Wednesday, August 19th with a morning session. You’re looking at a tiny 2ft swell from the SE, with a short 6-second period. The wind is a light cross-offshore, so the surface will be clean, but with combined energy of only 64, it’s barely a ripple. The afternoon gets worse with the wind picking up to 19 mph from the SSW, making it messy. Thursday the 20th morning is a bit better – a glassy 2ft from the ESE with a 7-second period, and a light offshore wind, so it’ll be clean. But still, it’s very small. The rest of that week and into the next is a real drag. Friday the 21st is onshore, Saturday the 22nd is choppy and cross-onshore, Sunday the 23rd is messy... it’s a whole lot of nothing. The combined energy values are all below 100, mostly in the 30s and 40s, which tells you the ocean is flat and tired.

There’s a long gap of poor conditions from the 19th all the way through to the 26th of August. Then, on Thursday, August 27th, we get a sudden spike. The swell jumps to 6ft from the ESE with a 6-second period. The combined energy hits 266 (moderate energy), but the wind is a strong 25 mph from the S, with a risk of thunderstorms. That’s a lot of wind and a short period swell – it’s going to be a bumpy, blown-out mess. That’s not a surfing day; that’s a day to stay on the beach and watch the chaos. Later that afternoon the swell drops to 4ft, but the wind is still strong.

The best chance we see in the whole window is on Friday, August 28th, in the morning. The swell is 3ft from the SE with a 9-second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the SW at 16 mph. The combined energy is 157 (moderate energy). It’s not huge, but the offshore wind will make it smooth and clean. This is your standout window. For a beginner-friendly sandbar, this is about as good as it gets in this forecast. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get out early to claim your spot.

After that, we slide back into small, ordinary conditions. The 29th and 30th of August offer some clean, surfable waves in the 2ft range, but they’re weak. The 31st has a morning offshore wind and a 2ft swell, but it’s small. The first few days of September are a write-off with strong onshore winds (25 mph from the NNE on the 2nd) and lumpy, messy surf. The long-range stuff on September 1st has a 12-second period swell, but it’s only 1ft, so not much to work with.

So, to boil it down: the first week is dead, the second week has a brief moment of hope on the morning of Friday, August 28th, and then it fades back to flatness. The best is that Friday morning. If you’re a beginner, the small stuff is safe, but don’t expect any power. For the experts, there’s nothing here for you.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the sky.

Rusty

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