White Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you: the next couple weeks at White Rocks are a mixed bag, and mostly a quiet one for a while. The forecast for this spot is pretty slim for paddle surfing for the first several days, so we’re looking at a long wait.

The first real sign of life doesn’t show up until Sunday morning the 16th of August. Even then, it’s nothing to write home about—just a weak 3ft from the NW with a short, snappy 8-second period, and the energy is barely registering (71). The wind will be light and offshore from the SSW though, so it’ll be clean, but you’re scratching for tiny waves.

We get a bit more on Tuesday the 18th of August. The morning has a clean 3ft from the WNW with a light cross-offshore breeze, but it’s still small and ordinary. The afternoon gets interesting for a minute: a 2ft swell from the NW but with a very long period of 15 seconds (groundswell). The energy is moderate at 192, and it goes glassy. That long period means the waves will have shape, but at this size, it’s mostly for the longboard or a fun little cruiser. It’ll be clean, though, which is a bonus.

Now, the one that stands out and the best on offer in this whole stretch: Wednesday morning the 19th of August. We get a jump to a solid 5ft from the WNW with an 11-second period, which is a proper groundswell. The energy is strong (560). The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SW. This is the sweet spot for White Rocks—good size for the break, clean, and well-shaped. It’s still a beginner-friendly spot, but this swell is getting toward the top end for learners; more confident intermediates will have a blast. Just be aware that the afternoon drops off and gets messy.

After that, things turn ugly. Thursday the 20th of August, the swell builds to a hefty 7–8ft from the NW, but it’s teamed with a strong, lumpy cross-onshore wind. That’s not surfable for paddling—honestly, that setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We then hit a dry spell. From the 21st through to the 26th of August, it’s mostly small, weak, and wind-affected. Not worth the drive.

The second week brings some hope. The best looking days in that later period are Thursday the 27th of August. The morning shows a 4ft from the NW with a 10-second period—decent groundswell—and energy of 217. Wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSE, so it’ll be clean. The afternoon builds a little to 4ft, still clean. This is a solid, fun day for the spot, but it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on it. The confidence is lower that far out, but the pattern looks promising.

Water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

So to sum up: don’t bother until Sunday the 16th for tiny clean waves. The real standout is Wednesday morning the 19th of August—that’s your best bet for size and quality. And keep Thursday the 27th of August on the radar for the later window. The rest is mostly waiting or windy junk.

Rusty.

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