Sunset Beach Geraldron Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, giving you the lowdown for Sunset Beach Geraldron. We've got a solid run of swell on the way, but you'll have to work the wind to get the best of it.

The main event is a long-period SW groundswell that's building in, with a very long period of 16 seconds on the first pulse. That means a lot of energy in the water – we're talking combined energy values of 2668 and climbing, which is strong stuff. This kind of period is best handled at a reef or point, but Sunset Beach is a beach and reef setup, so it could be a bit straight for the banks. The water temp is sitting at 67°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year, so not a huge anomaly, but you might want a spring suit for the early sessions.

The first good window opens up Friday afternoon, August 14th. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the SW, but the wind is a cross-offshore from the S at 12 mph. It'll be clean, but the wave comment says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions", so it's not a total winner.

Saturday, August 15th is a better bet. The morning shows a clean 6 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and a light NE breeze at 6 mph. It's a cross-offshore wind, but light enough to keep things tidy. The afternoon is similar, with a 6 ft swell and a 9 mph southerly. This is a solid stretch for experienced surfers.

Now, here's the standout. Keep your eyes on Sunday, August 16th. The afternoon session is a beauty. The swell is a solid 6 ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm from the ESE at just 3 mph. That result is 1574 combined energy, which is moderate wave energy, but the glassy conditions make it the pick of the first week for clean, lined-up waves. Get on it.

Monday, August 17th, is a write-off. The wind goes onshore and ramps up to 22 mph, mixing up a 7 ft swell with rain. Don't bother.

Tuesday, August 18th is a morning mission for experts only. The swell hits 10 ft from the SW with a 17-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 5897 – that's very strong wave energy. The wind is a light offshore ESE at 6 mph, so it's clean. But that's over 8 ft, so it's a full-on, shifty, powerful wave. The afternoon stays at 10 ft but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit lumpy.

Wednesday, August 19th, the swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft, with a light SE breeze keeping it clean for the morning. Good for the experienced crew.

Thursday, August 20th morning is another cracker. A 10 ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and a clean 12 mph offshore breeze from the ESE. The combined energy is 3880, so it's very strong, and the wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". This is the second standout for the week – big, clean, and powerful.

The second week starts to taper in size, but there are still some moments. Saturday, August 22nd afternoon has a 8 ft SW swell with a 17-second period and a gentle offshore breeze from the ESE. Clean, but not the size of the earlier days.

Then we hit a lull. Sunday, August 23rd through Monday, August 24th is a big gap of poor conditions with onshore and cross-onshore winds. You'd be better off getting the kite out.

Tuesday, August 25th sees a massive pulse return – 10 ft SW swell with a 17-second period, and combined energy of 5499. The wind is cross-offshore from the S at 16 mph, so it's clean but big. This is again for experts only.

Saturday, August 29th rounds things out with another 10 ft SW pulse, period of 17 seconds, and a combined energy of 5428. The wind is a light cross-shore, so it's not perfect, but there's plenty of power.

So, the real standouts are Sunday afternoon, August 16th for the glassy conditions on a solid swell, and Thursday morning, August 20th for the big, clean, offshore lines. The rest is a mix of solid swell and tricky wind, so pick your windows.

Rusty.

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