15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let's have a look at what’s on the cards for 15th Street.

Truth be told, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a bit of swell rolling in at the start, but the wind is just messing it up. Monday morning the 7th sees a 6ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, so there’s some decent energy in the water (1183), but that cross-on NW wind at 9 mph is chopping it up. It’s not all bad news for the brave, but it’s far from clean. The water’s sitting at 73°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s nearly 5° above average, so a real treat if you do get in.

Honestly, after Monday it just flatlines for days. Tuesday the 8th is smaller at 4ft and still cross-on, and from Wednesday the 9th onwards we’re looking at tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. There’s a long gap of nothing worth mentioning – a real dry spell from Tuesday through to at least the middle of the second week. The swell stays small, the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, and the ratings are rock bottom.

Now, later in the window, around Monday the 21st of September, there’s a flicker of hope. We see a 3 to 4ft SSW swell with a 17 to 18-second period – that’s proper long-period groundswell, which is great for shape. The wind goes light and offshore (on) from the WNW, which is a big positive. The combined energy (733) is moderate. This is the standout of the whole outlook, but it’s a long way off, so treat it with caution. 15th Street is exposed to the WSW, and this swell is coming from the SSW, so it’s not a perfect match, but with that long period, the point and reef sections might just focus it up nicely.

A word about the place: 15th Street is a beach and reef setup that is consistent, so it’s a reliable spot when the conditions align. Crowds are often here, so don’t expect a quiet one if it does come together.

For the rest of that second week, there’s a persistent run of light offshore winds and a consistent background of 2ft to 3ft SSW swell with very long periods (15-19 seconds). Nothing big, but the clean wind and those long lines could make for some fun, small-scale surfing at the better reef breaks. It’s more of a patient surfer’s game.

So, bottom line: the best bet is that Monday the 21st. Everything before that is a write-off unless you’re desperate. Keep an eye on the forecasts as we get closer.

Rusty.

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