Windmills Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Windmills is a tough one. We’ve got a solid run of days with swell in the water, but the wind is working against us almost the entire time, and the water temp is sitting right on average for the time of year at 79°.

The first week is a write-off for any kind of quality. Starting Saturday the 11th, we’ve got a 6 ft swell from the ENE but it’s a short period 7 seconds, and a stiff 19 mph cross-shore wind is just making a mess of it. The combined wave energy is weak at 294, and the report says “poor surf conditions” – lumpy, choppy, no good. That same pattern holds through Sunday and Monday. The swell ticks up to 7 ft on Sunday afternoon, pushing the energy to 433 (moderate), but with 19 mph cross-wind, it’s going to be a bumpy, blown-out mess. For beginners, 6 ft is already a bit much, and with that wind, it’s a no-go. For the more experienced, it’s still not worth paddling out.

Tuesday the 14th sees a slight shift with the swell from the NE and a period of 8 seconds, but the wind stays cross-shore at 12-16 mph. The energy is moderate at 413 on Tuesday afternoon, but the comment is still “poor surf conditions.” We finally get a bit of a break on Wednesday the 15th morning – a tiny 2 ft swell from the WNW with a very long 15-second period. That’s a groundswell, and it would be better for a point or reef, but the wind is still 16 mph and cross-shore. The energy is weak at 243. Wednesday afternoon offers a cleaner look with the wind going cross-off at 16 mph, and a 5 ft NE swell, but the period drops to 7 seconds and the energy is moderate at 355. It’s the first day with a “clean” comment, but it’s a short window and still not a standout.

From Thursday the 16th right through to the end of the first week and into the second, it’s a grim loop. The wind is stuck on ENE, blowing 16-19 mph, cross-shore, with the “fresh cross-shore and lumpy cross-chop” comment. The swell hangs around 4 ft to 6 ft, with short periods of 5-8 seconds, and the energy fluctuates from weak (141) to moderate (254). Every single entry says “poor surf conditions.” It’s just not happening.

The only real glimmer in this whole 16-day stretch comes on the final weekend. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th. The wind drops slightly to 16 mph, and the swell direction holds from the NE. Saturday morning has a 5 ft NE swell, 7 seconds, with moderate energy at 251. Saturday afternoon jumps to 6 ft, 7 seconds, and energy hits 373. Sunday the 26th is the best of the lot: a 6 ft ENE swell with an 8-second period, energy at 364 in the morning and 359 in the afternoon. The wind is still cross-shore at 16 mph, but it’s a “moderate breeze” rather than the fresh stuff, so the chop will be a bit less messy. It’s still not perfect, but it’s the only time in the whole forecast where the swell and energy are decent enough to consider a paddle. This is the best on offer, but it’s only for surfers who can handle a bit of wind-affected, lumpy 5 ft+ surf. Beginners, stay clear.

Bottom line: two weeks of poor conditions with one slightly less poor weekend at the end. The forecast is consistent in its mediocrity, so it’s not a surprise, but it’s still a bummer.

Rusty.

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