Willow Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, breakin’ it down for Willow Creek.

Right now, on August 23rd, we’re lookin’ at small weak surf. Knee to waist-high from these long-period south swells—0.5ft to 0.7ft—but the wind is cross from the NW, so it’s got a bit of bump on it. The swell period is super long (14 to 18 seconds), which for a reef like this is fine, but the small size means it's hard to get a real ride. Combined wave energy sits in the moderate range (316 to 476). It’s a wait-and-see kind of start.

Tuesday afternoon on the 25th brings a jump to 2ft from the WNW, but the period drops to 6 seconds. That’s windswell—fat, weak, and bumpy. The moderate cross breeze makes it even worse. Wednesday and Thursday keep up that mediocre theme: tiny long-period mornings and messy short-period afternoons near 2ft to 2ft with more cross-chop. Not worth the paddle.

Friday the 28th shows more life. A SSW swell builds through the day, 0.8ft in the morning to 0.9ft in the afternoon. The period stays long at 18 to 19 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 635 and then 1011 by afternoon. That’s a solid step up. But the wind is still cross at 15-20 km/h, so waves will have texture. Still, it’s getting better.

Saturday the 29th has a 1ft SSW groundswell at 17 seconds (1012 energy) in the morning. But the afternoon hits with a 3ft pulse from the WNW at a short 7 seconds, energy at 1261. That short period means it’ll be a bumpy, dumpy mess. For experts only if you’re desperate.

The pattern repeats on Sunday the 30th: morning delivers a better 1ft SSW at 15 seconds with 919 energy, but again the afternoon degenerates into a 3ft short-period slop.

Then we hit the gold. On Saturday, September 5th, the afternoon shows glassy conditions—zero wind. A clean 1ft SSW swell at 16 seconds with combined energy of 1300. That’s strong wave energy, long-period groundswell, and absolutely perfect conditions for the reef. This is the standout of the whole 16-day window. It’s rated as excellent for experienced surfers. The 1ft doesn’t sound massive, but with that period and glass, it’s going to produce clean, rippable faces.

The morning of Monday, September 7th also offers a glassy 0.9ft SSW swell at 14 seconds (469 energy), which is a smaller but clean option for a mellow session.

Water temp at Willow Creek is running about average for the time of year.

So, the play here is clear: pencil in that Saturday afternoon, September 5th. That’s your best shot at clean, lined-up waves. Everything else in the first two weeks is either too small or too choppy. The short-period afternoon pulses over 2ft might look tempting on the forecast, but they’re better left for the kite surfers. Stay sharp and pick your window.

Rusty, out.

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