Austinmer Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at what’s headin’ our way for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, we’re in for a long, frustrating stretch, with only a couple of fleeting moments that might just get you excited. The water’s sitting at a pretty normal 64°F for this time of year, so that’s not the issue.

We start off with very little on offer. The first real chance to get wet doesn’t come until Thursday morning, August 20th, at Austinmer Beach. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, fairly consistent, and on Thursday morning we’ve got a light NNW breeze blowin’ cross-offshore, which will keep things clean. The swell is tiny, only 3 ft from the NE, with a short, weak period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is a paltry 127 (moderate), so don’t expect much push. The waves are surfable, but it’s very ordinary. Thursday afternoon gets a bit better with a glassy 5 mph N wind, but the swell drops to 2 ft and the energy craters to 62 (weak). It’s the same story through Friday morning – a clean 2 ft from the ENE with light offshore WNW wind, but it’s still just small, weak stuff. The energy is down to 41 (weak). After that, we hit a real dud. From Saturday the 22nd through to the end of the month, conditions are mostly poor – messy winds, onshore slop, and tiny swell. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations.

Now, lookin’ further out, things get a whole lot more interesting, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The standout window is Sunday the 30th of August. On Sunday afternoon, we’ve got a solid 8 ft groundswell from the S, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 1568 (strong). That’s a big, powerful swell, but it’s coming in with a gentle cross-onshore breeze from the ENE. The notes say it’s a bit too big for this break, but for experienced surfers, it could be a wild ride. For beginners, that’s way too much. The swell direction is southerly, not the optimum east for Austinmer, but the energy is undeniable.

Then, from Monday the 31st of August through to Tuesday September 1st, the swell just keeps building. We’re talkin’ 12 ft to 16 ft from the SSE and S, with periods up to 14 seconds and energy readings that go through the roof – 3744, 13945, 9530, all strong to very strong. That’s giant, powerful groundswell, but it’s accompanied by moderate cross-onshore winds and a lot of rain. The forecast says these are “too big for this break,” and honestly, for a beach break like Austinmer, that kind of size with a long period will be breaking straight and closing out. It’s more of a big-wave spectacle than a session. The swell direction is south-southeast, not ideal for the optimum east, and the water’s still around 64°F.

The best bet for a serious surfer would be to pencil in Sunday the 30th of August for the afternoon. It’s a risky call, but if you’re comfortable in 8 ft surf, it’ll be the most powerful wave of the whole period. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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