15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’.

First off, gotta talk about the water. For the first bit of surf we can actually talk about, the water temp is sittin' at 72.7°F – that’s a whopping 6.1°F warmer than usual for this time of year. It’s like bath water out there, real unusual and a nice shock for the system.

Alright, so the next week and a half is a bit of a tease. We’ve got swell on the cards, but the quality is just not there. From Tuesday the 14th right through to the 22nd, it’s a whole lot of nothing really good. The waves are small, the wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the energy is weak to moderate. The combined energy is mostly in the low to mid hundreds (273 to 944), which just isn't enough to get the heart pumping. A few days, like the 18th and 19th, see the energy kick up a bit (514 to 1065), but it’s still paired with light winds that aren't quite right. The whole thing feels like a frustrating wait.

Then, things start to get interesting. The first real standout window looks like Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th. The swell starts to build. On the 23rd, we’re looking at 4.6 ft to 4.9 ft from the S, with a period of 14 seconds. That’s a solid groundswell and the energy is kickin' into gear (1054 to 1156). The wind is a light breeze from the WSW, which is cross-on, but still light. It’s not perfect, but it’s a major step up. The 24th is where it gets proper. The swell jumps to 6.6 ft from the S with a 13-second period, and the energy is massive (1973). That’s strong energy, and it’s telling us there’s some real push. The wind is a light breeze from the SW, stayin' cross-on. This is big, powerful surf. At 6.6 ft, that’s getting into the territory where it’s more for the experienced crew.

The real standout, though, is Saturday the 25th. The swell is still solid at 6.2 ft from the SSW, with a 13-second period. The energy is still very strong (1714). But the wind – that’s the key. It’s a light breeze from the WSW, stayin' cross-on, but it’s looking like the cleanest window of the whole run. The waves will have real shape, real power, and the crowds will be out at 15th Street (United States) – it’s a consistent spot, so expect company. This is the session to aim for. It’s a bit much for beginners at that size, but for anyone with a bit of experience, that’s the pick of the bunch.

The following Sunday, the 26th, the swell drops back down to 3.0 ft, but the period jumps to 19 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, and the energy is still there (1265). It’ll be clean with light offshore winds, but that long period can make a beach break a bit tricky – it might close out or be a bit straight. The rest of the outlook into the end of the month is smaller, with the swell dropping to 3.3 ft to 3.6 ft, and the energy fading back to the moderate range. The wind stays mostly light cross-onshore, so it’s not a write-off, but nothing to get too excited about compared to the 24th and 25th.

So, to wrap it up: suffer through the next week, it’s a flat spell. The real action is from Thursday the 23rd, but the best day on offer is Saturday the 25th – solid, powerful SSW swell with clean conditions. Get on it.

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