Ammonias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s on the cards for Ammonias over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a bit of a slow burn for most of it, but there’s a potential gem tucked away in the second week if you’ve got the patience.

We’ve got swell at Ammonias for the whole run, but the wind and overall quality are a real battle for the first week and a half. Expect a pretty average run from now through to the end of the first week of September. The water temp is sitting at about 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year – no surprises there.

Monday 31st August kicks off with a solid 7 ft of short-period (8 seconds) ENE swell, pushing through about 736 (moderate wave energy). Sounds okay, but it’s hammered by a moderate cross-breeze at 16 mph, leaving a proper cross-chop on the surface. The surf is pretty poor – not worth getting wet for. That pattern sticks around. Tuesday 1st September is similar, 6 ft ENE swell (895 energy) but again, that darn cross-wind makes a mess of it. Wednesday 2nd September sees a brief spike in the afternoon with a 3 ft S swell showing a long period of 16 seconds (867 energy), which carries some nice shape, but it’s still battling a moderate cross-breeze.

Through Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th September, the swell picks up to 7 ft – 8 ft (energy climbing from 1018 to 1658 – solid moderate to strong energy), but the wind stays stuck in a fresh cross or cross-onshore pattern. The onshore wind on the 3rd and 5th makes for lumpy, choppy conditions. It’s a write-off for a clean paddle.

Sunday 6th and Monday 7th September bring a shift. The swell hangs around 8 ft to 8 ft, but the period jumps to 12-13 seconds (energy hitting 2442 and 2780 – strong). That’s proper groundswell energy there, which usually means better shaped waves and longer lulls. The problem? We’re still looking at moderate cross-breezes and some chop. It’s *closer* to something workable, but the wind just won’t let it be clean. Tides might be a factor too.

Now, Tuesday 8th September is the real standout. Mark this one in your diary if you’re an expert surfer. The morning session looks absolutely pumping. We get a 18 ft E swell (7611 – very strong wave energy) with a solid 11-second period. And the magic ingredient? A light offshore cross-off breeze from the west at just 6 mph. That’s clean surf, folks. This is exceptional, but there’s a heavy caveat: 18 ft is serious, expert-only territory. It’s a big, powerful groundswell at a reef break, demanding respect. The afternoon drops to 15 ft (4195 energy) but gets hit by a moderate cross-swell from the SW, so morning is the window.

After that, it settles down. Wednesday 9th September sees the swell drop back to 7 ft (1330 energy) with a cross-onshore wind ruining the clean-up. Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th September is back to average 6 ft to 7 ft ENE windswell (medium energy around 500-800) with a persistent moderate cross-breeze. Nothing to write home about.

Then the tail end of the window looks sweet. Sunday 13th to Monday 14th September is a great little run. The swell holds steady at 6 ft to 7 ft from the ENE (8 seconds), but the wind drops right out. We’re talking glassy conditions from Sunday afternoon right through Monday – 0 mph winds. Expect very good surf conditions. That’s a clean, fun-sized swell, perfect for a relaxed session. Crowds are often here, so you’ll have some company, but with conditions that good, it’s worth it. Tuesday 15th September drops to 5 ft with a light cross breeze – back to average, but okay for a paddle.

So, the true standout is Tuesday 8th September for the expert crew – that 18 ft morning session is as good as it gets if you’ve got the bottle. For most of us, keep an eye on Sunday 13th and Monday 14th September for some clean, glassy fun.

Rusty.

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