15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks at 15th Street.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a tiny, disorganised swell with onshore winds, so the surf is pretty poor. Don't bother paddling out Monday the 31st of August or Tuesday the 1st of September; it’s just not worth the effort. We’re looking at a real flat spell to start.

The swell starts to show a little more life towards the end of the first week and into the second. Thursday the 3rd of September has a long-period swell (18 seconds) pushing in from the S, but it's still onshore and messy. The combined energy is moderate (746), but the conditions just aren't there to make it count.

The real standout is Saturday the 5th of September and into Sunday the 6th. Saturday morning sees a building swell from the SSE at about 4 ft, with a 14-second period. The combined energy is strong (1100), and we've got a light cross-onshore breeze that's only going to put a few ripples on the surface. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we've seen in a while. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Then Sunday the 6th gets really interesting. The swell jumps up to 8 ft to 8 ft from the S, with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is very strong (2759-2858). The wind is a cross-offshore from the north, and the afternoon session is looking clean. That's a proper, powerful groundswell. For a point break or reef, this would be a dream, but 15th Street is a beach and reef setup. With a long-period swell like that, it might break a bit too straight and fast, so you’ll want to be on your game. This is a big swell, over 8 ft, so it's strictly for the experienced crew. It’s going to be a challenge.

Monday the 7th of September is a no-go though. The swell is well over 10 ft, and there's a strong cross-onshore wind that's going to make it a washing machine. That kind of power and chop is more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone on a paddle board.

After that, the swell fades quickly. The rest of the second week drops back into the small, weak range with onshore winds. It's a pretty standard quiet spell for the area. Tuesday the 8th onwards sees a drop in size and energy, with the combined energy falling back to moderate levels (732) and then quickly into the weak range. The period also drops, so the quality is gone.

So, to wrap it up: The first week is a bust. The best bet is the weekend of the 5th and 6th of September, with Sunday the 6th afternoon offering the biggest, most powerful, and cleanest waves of the whole forecast. After that, it’s back to flat spells. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that’s the story.

Rusty.

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