Windmills Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Windmills. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but it’s going to be a tale of two halves. The first week is a bit of a mess, but the second week has some serious potential if you’ve got the skills.

The overall pattern is that a lot of strong, long-period WSW groundswell is on the way, but the wind is going to be a major player. Right from the start, we’re looking at a lot of lumpy, choppy conditions. The water temp is sitting at 65°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no need for a thick suit just yet.

The first few days are a write-off. Saturday morning, the 5th, kicks off with a 8ft WSW swell, but the wind is howling from the NNW at 22 mph, making it a cross-shore mess. The combined energy is a massive 2826 (moderate), but the quality is just poor. It’s the same story through Saturday afternoon and into Sunday the 6th – plenty of swell, 8ft again, but the wind is ruining it. The whole weekend is a bust.

Monday the 7th is a bit of a tease. The morning looks clean with a moderate ESE cross-off breeze and a 8ft WSW swell with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is 3705 (very strong). It’s marginal, but it’s the first clean window we’ve seen. The afternoon goes a bit choppy again.

Now, Monday the 8th is where it gets interesting, but only for the brave. The morning has a 10ft WSW swell, a 17-second period, and a clean ESE cross-off wind. The combined energy is a massive 5274 (very strong). This is a true expert-only zone. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s big. The afternoon is even better wind-wise, going glassy with an ENE breeze at 3 mph, but the swell is still 10ft. The tide and wind are favorable, but the size says 'experts only'.

The 9th is a standout. The afternoon is the pick of the first week. The wind goes glassy with an ESE breeze at 3 mph, and the swell is still a solid 8ft at 15 seconds, coming from the WSW. The combined energy is 2541 (very strong). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The morning has a fresh offshore wind, but that afternoon glass-off is the real deal. Expect clean, lined-up waves.

We get a bit of a breather on the 10th and 11th, with smaller 4ft to 5ft swells and decent conditions. The 11th afternoon has a 5ft swell with a very long 19-second period, which is groundswell gold. The combined energy is 2016 (very strong). The cross-off wind keeps it clean. This is a good chance for a fun session for the competent crew.

Then the wheels fall off. The 12th and 13th are a washout with strong onshore winds and rain. Saturday the 12th has a 31 mph WSW wind, making it completely unsurfable. For a couple of days, it’s not looking good for a paddle.

The 14th is a bit of a lull, but the 15th is a major highlight. Tuesday the 15th afternoon is a belter. The wind is glassy – absolutely dead calm – and the swell is a solid 8ft from the WSW at 16 seconds. The combined energy is 3421 (very strong). This is another excellent session for experienced surfers. The morning is clean too with a moderate offshore wind.

The 16th and 17th get messy again with onshore winds. The 18th is a joke – a 13ft swell on Friday afternoon, but with a 16 mph onshore wind. The energy is 7538 (very strong), but it’s a complete write-off. This is more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers.

The 19th and 20th are just massive. Saturday the 19th sees 13ft faces, and Sunday the 20th has a 15ft to 16ft monster swell from the WSW with a 18-second period. The combined energy on Sunday is 13034 (very strong), and it goes glassy in the morning. This is proper, big-wave territory. It’s only for the most experienced chargers. There’s a chance of a few clean ones for the pros, but the crowd will be inevitable for a spot like this, and it will be an all-time session for the few that are out.

The real standout in this whole period is the afternoon of the 9th of September for a clean, glassy session on a solid 8ft groundswell. The secondary standout is the 15th of September afternoon, also glassy on a 8ft swell. For the bigger swells, the 8th is a true expert session, but it’s a gamble.

Rusty.

Read more