Alex Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Alright, let’s get straight into it. Look, I’ve been staring at this forecast for Alex, and honestly, it’s a bit of a frustrating stretch ahead. There’s a lot of onshore junk and chop in the immediate future, and we’re not going to see any proper, clean surf for a good long while. We’re looking at over a week of messy conditions before the wind finally gives us a break and sets up something remotely worth paddling out for.

The first proper chance we get is on Friday morning, August 21st. The SE breeze drops right out, leaving it glassy with a small 3.2ft swell from the ESE. The energy is weak (126), but at least it’s clean. Surfable, but very ordinary—definitely not a standout, just a sign that things might be turning. The wind stays onshore for most of the following week, and the swell stays small and weak. Saturday the 22nd has a clean morning with a cross-offshore breeze, but again, nothing special—just small, weak 3.2ft waves from the ENE. It’s the kind of day you might get a few closeouts on a longboard, but nothing to get excited about.

We’re looking at a long run of poor conditions, with most days blown out by cross-onshore winds and chopped-up surf. The energy stays weak, and it’s not until Sunday morning, August 30th, that things finally line up. There’s a new SSE swell pushing in at 2.3ft, but the period has jumped to 11 seconds—it’s got a bit more punch. The wind is a light NE cross-offshore, leaving it clean. The combined energy is moderate (236), and the forecast finally says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one bright spot. It’s not big, but it’s clean and workable. Given the stretch of crap we’ve had to sit through, this Sunday morning at Alex looks like the pick of the bunch. It’s a reef break, so this longer-period swell will wrap in nicely.

On top of that, the following morning, Monday August 31st, shows some promise too. The swell is smaller at 2.9ft but the period has jumped to a very long 14 seconds. This is proper groundswell energy. The wind is a gentle ENE cross-shore, keeping it clean-ish. The energy is climbing (467). This could be even more consistent with those long lines, but the cross-shore wind might put a bit of a texture on it. Still, after all that crud, these two mornings at the end of the month are what you’re waiting for. For a spot named Alex, which is fairly consistent, this is a dry spell. But hang in there—it’s going to turn, and when it does, it should be worth it.

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