15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for 15th Street.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim run for the next couple of weeks. Wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave heights stay small. There’s a lot of energy in the water at times, but it’s not translating into anything rideable. The first few days are a write-off, with poor surf conditions and light winds from the west just messing up what little swell there is. We’re looking at a gap of poor conditions stretching from the 5th right through to the 13th of August.

The water is sitting at 77° with a massive anomaly of 9°, so it’s much warmer than usual for this time of year.

The first time we see anything even close to worthwhile is on the morning of Thursday, 14th August. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the SSW, with a period of 18 seconds - that’s a solid groundswell, and the wind is light and onshore from the west. The combined energy of all swells is moderate (688). It’s still only marginal, and the tide could be a factor, but it’s the first sign of life. The Friday the 15th continues that little trend, with a 3 ft SSW swell, still 16-second period, and energy climbing to 742. The wind stays onshore though, so it’s not clean.

The best on offer across the whole 16 days is Saturday morning, 15th August. You’re looking at a 3 ft swell from the SSW, with a 16-second period - that’s decent groundswell. The combined energy is strong (742). The wind is a light 9 mph from the west, which is onshore, but it’s a light breeze so it’s not trashing it completely. It’s still marginal surf, but if you’re desperate, this is the window. It’s a beach and reef setup, and it’s consistent, so waves will be there. The crowd situation means you’ll have company - it’s listed as often busy, so expect a few heads out.

For the rest of the run, through to the 20th, it’s back to small, poor surf with onshore flow. The swell stays under 3 ft and the period drops back, so don’t get your hopes up.

This is a stretch where the wave quality is just not there. It’s a beach and reef break, so with the small, onshore stuff, it’s more of a paddle board or kite session than a proper surf. For the surfer, you’re waiting on that 14th and 15th for the only real chance at a wave.

Rusty.

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