Willow Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a pretty quiet stretch overall, with only one reliable spot getting any real attention. The action is all at Willow Creek, a consistent reef setup that’s beginner-friendly and exposed to the west. The water temp is sitting pretty normal for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary there.

The first few days, starting Sunday, August 16th, the swell is coming from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds, pushing in around 3 ft. There’s a decent amount of energy behind it, about 559 in the water, but the wind is a cross-onshore breeze that’s making things a bit choppy. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. Monday and Tuesday look similar, with a slight drop in size and the wind staying cross-shore, keeping the conditions on the messy side.

We hit a bit of a lull mid-week, with the swell dropping off and the energy getting weaker. The real change comes around Friday, August 21st, when the swell direction swings around to the WNW. The period drops to a short, choppy 6-7 seconds, and the size jumps up to 6 ft by the afternoon. The wind is still cross-shore, and the quality is poor – this is more of a mushy, bumpy affair. The energy levels are moderate at best, sitting around 417. This pattern of short-period, cross-shore slop carries through the weekend. The swell is inconsistent and the period is so short that the waves will be crumbly and hard to ride.

The standout window, and honestly the only one worth getting excited about, is lining up for Friday, August 28th. We’ve got a morning session with the swell coming from the NW at 6 ft, with a slightly better period of 10 seconds. The wind is a light cross-shore breeze, which is key. The energy reading jumps up to 1472, which is strong to very strong. This is the biggest, most powerful surf of the whole forecast, and with that light wind, it’ll be a whole lot cleaner than anything else around. Now, a swell of 6 ft is getting solid; it’s not beginner territory, but for anyone with some experience, this is the call. The afternoon shows a drop back to 5 ft, but still clean. For the rest of the period, it’s back to the same old story: small, wind-affected SSW swell with moderate energy, like 999 on the 29th, but nothing that truly stands out.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a grind with cross-shore wind and small, long-period swells that are a bit tricky. The only real standout that’s worth circling on the calendar is the morning of Friday, August 28th. That NW swell with light winds is the best bet in a pretty average outlook. Don’t plan your life around it, but keep an eye on the forecast.

Rusty.

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