Balangan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at the surf ahead. We’ve got a consistent run of solid SSW groundswell on the way, and Balangan’s looking like the main event. It’s a reef setup, so you’ll want a bit of experience under your belt, especially when the size picks up.

The water’s sitting around the usual for this time of year, nothing too wild there.

Alright, let’s start from Monday morning, the 27th of July. We’ve got a 6ft SE swell with a short 8-second period, and a fresh offshore breeze from the ESE at 35 km/h. The combined energy’s moderate at 769, and the surf’s a bit marginal, likely due to the tide. That offshore wind will keep it clean, but the short period means the waves won’t have much push. The afternoon sees the wind pick up to a strong 40 km/h offshore, still clean but a bit harder to paddle into.

Tuesday the 28th brings a shift. Swell drops to 3ft, but it’s now a long-period SSW groundswell at 16 seconds, with a combined energy of 714. Offshore wind from the ESE at 30 km/h keeps it clean, but the size is small. Still a bit marginal. The S/SW groundswell holds through Wednesday and Thursday, building slowly. By Wednesday afternoon, we’re at 4ft with a 14-second period, and the energy’s up to 836. Still clean with that offshore breeze.

Now, the real standout starts to build from Thursday the 30th. The morning has 5ft of SSW swell at 15 seconds, and the energy is climbing into the strong zone at 1247. By the afternoon, the wind eases to a moderate 25 km/h offshore, and the swell holds. This is where things start to get good.

Friday the 31st of July is a cracker. The morning shows 4ft of long-period SSW groundswell at 17 seconds, with strong energy at 1455. The wind is a moderate offshore from the SE at 25 km/h, and the surf is described as excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon only gets better, with the wind dropping to 20 km/h, still offshore, and the energy staying strong. This is a solid day for a reef that likes a long-period SSW swell.

Saturday the 1st of August continues the run. The swell bumps up to 5ft in the morning, period at 16 seconds, and energy at 1676. By the afternoon, it’s 6ft with an 18-second period, a gentle offshore breeze at 15 km/h, and energy at 1870. Clean, glassy, and pumping. This is the best of the first week, no question.

Sunday the 2nd of August sees the swell hit 7ft in the morning, and 7ft in the afternoon, both with a 17-second period and strong offshore winds. The energy is 2583 and 2981 respectively. This is proper groundswell, and on a reef like Balangan, it’s going to be a treat for the experienced crew. It’s getting too big for beginners now.

The following week keeps the good energy going. Monday the 3rd through Wednesday the 5th hold 6ft to 6ft of SSW swell, with periods between 14 and 15 seconds, and moderate offshore winds. The energy stays in the strong range, around 1300 to 1700. The surf quality remains excellent to very good.

Thursday the 6th of August is another standout. The swell jumps back to 7ft with a 16-second period, energy at 2266 in the morning and 2400 in the afternoon. The wind is a moderate offshore all day, clean and powerful. Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th hold similar size, though the Saturday afternoon wind swings cross-offshore, which might make it a bit lumpy.

Sunday the 9th of August is a big one. The morning swell is 8ft at 17 seconds, with energy at 3859. By the afternoon, it’s 10ft at 17 seconds, and the energy is a massive 4714, with a moderate offshore breeze. This is expert territory only, and for the right surfer, it’s going to be absolutely epic. Monday the 10th holds 10ft in the morning, then 8ft in the afternoon, with the energy staying in the 4000s. The wind stays offshore and clean.

The outlook wraps up on Tuesday the 11th of August, with a 8ft SSW swell at 14 seconds, but the wind goes cross-offshore, making things a bit messier, and the energy drops to 2496.

Overall, the standout sessions are the weekend of Friday the 31st of July through Sunday the 2nd of August, and then the big swell window from Sunday the 9th of August onward. The first week has the best combination of size, wind, and period for a solid session. The second week is for the big-wave hunters, and it’s promising but less certain being a week out. Balangan can get crowded sometimes, so get out there early.

Rusty.

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