15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for 15th Street. It's a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so let's get into it.

The first real window of surf kicks off on Friday the 4th of September. We've got a solid groundswell rolling in, with 3ft sets from the SSW at a very long 17 seconds. The water is sitting at 75°, which is a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that's really unusual, and you'll feel that difference. The combined energy is moderate at 826, and with a light WSW offshore breeze, it should be clean. It's not the biggest, but it's a nice start.

Saturday the 5th looks a touch better. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the S, with a 14-second period and the combined energy climbing to 1215. Again, we've got light offshore winds from the W. It's a consistent spot, so expect a few heads out as it's often crowded. The quality is average, but it's the best of the early run.

Sunday the 6th sees the swell push to 6ft from the S, with a period of 14 seconds and a hefty 1447 combined energy. But the wind swings N, turning cross-shore, and it'll be a bit bumpy. This is getting into the size that's a bit much for beginners. The quality drops off.

Monday the 7th is the standout in the first week, even with the caveats. The swell peaks at 7ft from the SSW at 14 seconds, with a massive 1701 combined energy – that's strong wave energy. The wind is offshore from the WNW in the morning, so it'll be clean. That's a lot of water moving, and over 8ft it's expert territory, but at 7ft, it's a solid, powerful wave for anyone comfortable in bigger surf. The afternoon gets a cross-onshore and choppy, so the morning is the window.

From Tuesday the 8th, the swell starts to back off, dropping from 6ft down to 3ft by Thursday the 10th. The winds stay mostly offshore, but the energy tails off, and the scores are marginal. It's still surfable, but nothing special.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Friday the 11th right through to Tuesday the 15th of September, it's pretty poor. The swell drops to under 3ft, and the combined energy falls below 500. The wind is on it, and the conditions are just not there. There's a gap of about four days with no real surf to speak of.

There's a little flicker of life on the 14th with a 5ft W swell, but it's a short period of 8 seconds, which is weak and won't hold up well. Not worth getting excited about.

The second week, from the 15th onwards, is a waiting game. The swell is tiny, 2ft to 3ft, with some very long periods (20+ seconds) that are better suited for a point or reef, not a beach and reef setup like 15th Street. The energy is weak, and the scores are poor. There's not a single standout in the second week. The best bet is to keep an eye on the forecasts, because it tends not to stay this flat for long. For now, the best day on offer is Monday the 7th, with clean, offshore conditions and a solid 7ft SSW groundswell.

Rusty.

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