Ammonias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what’s cookin’ for Ammonias over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with ya – the first few days are a write-off. Monday the 31st of August through to the end of that first week, the wind is a real problem. We’ve got a persistent moderate to fresh cross-shore breeze out of the ENE, often with rain showers and even a risk of thunderstorms. The swell is on the small side, around 6 ft to 8 ft, but it’s short-period, wind-driven stuff from the ENE, and the surface is just lumpy and choppy. The combined energy is moderate (783 to 1255), but it’s all for nothing with that wind. There’s nothing to ride here, so don’t bother paddling out.

That gap continues right through the first week – no real surf on offer until we get to Sunday the 6th of September. Even then, it’s still marginal. The wind’s still cross-shore, and the swell’s not doing us any favours.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window is Tuesday the 8th of September. After a morning of lumpy, 10 ft ENE swell and fresh cross-shore wind, the afternoon shifts. The wind swings around to the north, becoming a clean cross-offshore breeze, and the swell jumps to 12 ft out of the ENE with a 12-second period. That’s a solid, powerful groundswell with very strong energy (4141). That’s a serious amount of juice. This is the best you’re gonna get in this outlook, but it’s big – that’s expert territory. The reef at Ammonias will handle it, but don’t take it lightly. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, it’s back to marginal or poor conditions through the rest of the second week, with the swell dropping off and the onshore wind creeping back in. The energy drops right back to moderate (340 to 747) by Wednesday the 9th, and the wind turns cross-on again. The final days from the 10th to the 15th of September are pretty much a bust, with small, weak swell and poor winds.

So, bottom line: the only real chance for a decent wave is the afternoon of Tuesday the 8th of September at Ammonias. It’s a big, powerful, clean wave on a reef, but it’s for the experienced crew only. The rest of the 16 days? You’re better off waiting for the next swell.

Rusty.

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