ADs/Doubles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, for a spot like ADs/Doubles, the outlook is a bit of a tough one. There’s a real mix of swell and wind, but the standout session is a gem if you’re quick. We’ve got a long run of poor conditions to start, but the waiting game might just pay off.

Thursday, August 20th (afternoon) is the only real looker in the first week. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is spot on for this time of year. We’ve got a clean, clear sky and a light cross-offshore breeze from the northeast at 6 mph. That’s a nice combo. The swell is small, only 2 ft, but it’s a long-period groundswell coming from the SSW at 17 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (390). It’s not going to be big, but with that glassy feel and the long lines, it’ll be clean and fun on a small board. The break is fairly consistent, so expect a few waves, but it can get crowded here, so be ready for company.

Then we hit a bit of a dry spell. From Friday, August 21st all the way through to Monday, August 31st, the wind is a constant cross-shore from the ENE, building from a breeze to a strong breeze. The wind state is consistently described as "poor surf conditions" with lumpy, messy cross-chop. The swell direction shifts around, but the period is short, mostly 6 to 7 seconds, which gives weak, disorganised waves. The combined energy does climb into the moderate range (from 106 up to 642), but the wind is just too strong and onshore-angled to make it worth paddling out. This is a long stretch of poor surf, nearly two weeks of it.

The one saving grace comes later in the forecast. On Sunday, August 31st (afternoon) and into Tuesday, September 1st, the swell gets big. By Monday afternoon, we’re looking at 10 ft from the ENE with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 2404 – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. The wind eases off to a light breeze from the NE at 6 mph, which is a cross-shore but light enough to keep things clean. The problem is, this swell is over 8 ft, so it’s strictly for experts only. The report even says it’s too big for this break. The wave quality is still going to be messy with that cross-chop, so it’s more of a "look but don’t paddle" kind of day. The combined energy hits 2879 on Tuesday morning, but again, it’s too big for the average surfer here.

After that, it settles back into smaller, wind-affected conditions through to the end of the forecast on Friday, September 4th.

So, your best bet is that Thursday afternoon window. It’s small, it’s clean, and it’s the only real surfable session in the first two weeks. The big stuff at the end is for the brave and the experienced.

Rusty.

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