15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down. We’ve got one spot to talk about, and it’s a bit of a slow burn.

The water’s warm, sitting at 73°, which is a lot warmer than usual for this time of year – a nice surprise for the early crew.

The only real chance is Saturday morning, September 5th. We’ve got a 4ft S swell with a 14-second period, and a light 6 mph W wind right onshore. The combined energy is moderate at 1215, so there’s some push. This is the pick of the litter, but it’s not a clean day. The wind is onshore, so expect some chop. Still, it’s the only session that’s even worth a mention.

From Saturday afternoon, it’s all downhill. The wind turns cross-on and picks up, and the swell gets a bit bigger but turns ugly. By Sunday and Monday, we’re looking at 5ft to 6ft of S/SSW swell with cross-on breezes, making it rough and choppy. The energy stays moderate (around 1234 to 1277), but the quality is poor. Not a fun paddle.

After Monday, the swell drops and the energy fades. From Tuesday, September 8th, right through the rest of the forecast, we’re in a long flat spell. Swell heights drop below 3ft, and the combined energy falls into the 200s and 300s – weak. The winds are light, but the surf is just too small and inconsistent. There are a few days with a very long period groundswell (17-22 seconds) in the second week, but the heights are tiny (1ft to 3ft), so it’s barely a ripple. Those long-period swells can be tricky at a beach-and-reef setup like 15th Street, often breaking too straight, but with no size, it doesn’t matter.

There’s a gap of about 11 days with no real surf. A few marginal sessions pop up around September 20th, but it’s still small and weak. You’d be waiting a long time for a wave.

So, the standout is the Saturday morning session. It’s not clean, but it’s the only one with any life. The rest of the window is a bust unless something changes. A quiet spell for the area.

Rusty.

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