15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what 15th Street has got cookin’.

To be honest, it’s a pretty quiet stretch ahead. We’re lookin’ at a long spell of pretty weak, messy surf. From Thursday 2nd July all the way through to about Sunday 12th July, the waves are small and the conditions are just off. The wind is mostly onshore from the west or west-northwest at around 9 mph, which is gonna keep things bumpy and uninviting. The swell energy is moderate, with readings like 427 to 530, but don’t let those numbers fool ya – the wave heights are tiny, mostly 2 ft to 3 ft, and the surf quality is just poor. Nothing worth paddlin’ out for.

Now, there’s a flicker of somethin’ better comin’ Monday 6th July afternoon – we see the period stretch out to 20 seconds, that’s proper groundswell, and the energy jumps to 741. The swell height is still only 2 ft, but with that long period, the shape could be there. Problem is, the wind is still onshore from the west at 9 mph, so it’s gonna be a bit choppy. The water temp is 68°, a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t freeze.

Tuesday 7th July morning sees a little bump in height to 3 ft, period still solid at 18 seconds, and the wind swings light from the west-southwest at 6 mph. That’s about as close to clean as we get. The energy pushes up to 852, which is decent. But it’s still marginal – tide and conditions are gonna be the judge.

Wednesday 8th July morning looks alright too – 4 ft swell from the south-southwest, 16-second period, and light winds from the west-southwest at 6 mph. The energy is high (854), but the wind goes cross-onshore in the afternoon, so morning is the window.

After that, from 9th July into the second week, it’s more of the same – small, cross-onshore, and just not worth gettin’ excited about. The swell drops right off, energy falls to 169 by 15th July, and the heights are down to 1 ft. There’s a little blip on Friday 17th July with a 2 ft, 19-second groundswell comin’ from the southwest, but with rain showers and light west wind, it’s barely a whisper.

So what’s the call? If you’re desperate for a paddle, the best shot is Tuesday 7th July morning or Wednesday 8th July morning. That’s when we have the biggest swell (3-4 ft) and the cleanest wind – light offshore from the west-southwest. The swell direction is south-southwest, which is close to the optimum west-southwest, so the break should line up okay. But even then, it’s marginal, so don’t expect perfection. For a beginner, 3 ft is fine, but for experienced heads, it’s gonna feel small.

The crowds? 15th Street is "often" busy, so expect company on those better days.

Overall, this is a quiet period. No true standouts. Just a few mornings where the stars align enough for a half-decent session.

Rusty.

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