Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Broken Head over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it’s a bit of a slow start. The first few days are looking pretty average, with small, weak swell and messy conditions. It’s not until Monday the 24th that we start to see a flicker of something worthwhile. The water temp is sitting around 68°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

Friday 21st through Sunday 23rd are a write-off. We’ve got tiny 2ft to 3ft waves from the ENE, with short periods around 7 seconds, and the wind is all over the shop – onshore, cross, you name it. The energy is weak (126 or less), so don’t bother. The only tiny glimmer is Saturday afternoon, when it goes glassy, but the swell is so small and ordinary you’d be kidding yourself.

Monday 24th is where things start to get interesting. The morning brings a clean, cross-offshore wind and a jump in quality. The swell switches to the SSE with a long period of 12 seconds, and the energy jumps to 246 (moderate). It’s only 2ft, but that long-period groundswell will have some push and shape, especially at a point like Broken Head. The wind is light and clean – that’s a real positive. The afternoon gets messy again, so the morning session is the one.

Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th – Tuesday is a no-go with onshore winds and building chop. But Wednesday morning is a standout. Clean, cross-offshore wind, and the swell bumps up to a consistent 4ft from the ENE. Energy is solid (208). It’s a moderate size for a point break, and with clean conditions, this is going to be a fun session. The period is still short at 8 seconds, so it’s a bit of a windswell rather than a groundswell, but the quality of the morning window is hard to beat.

Thursday 27th is another good one. Both morning and afternoon have clean, cross-offshore winds, with the swell holding at 4ft to 5ft from the ENE. Energy is moderate (217-226). This is shaping up as the best run of the forecast. The period is still short, but the consistency of clean conditions for a full day is rare.

Friday 28th – morning is glassy, but the swell drops to 3ft from the E. It’s surfable, but ordinary. The afternoon gets messy with a strong onshore.

Saturday 29th through to the end of the first week – we’re back to small, weak, and messy. The swell is 3ft to 5ft, but the wind is poor, mostly cross-onshore or onshore, with moderate to fresh breezes. Not worth paddling out.

Second week (starting Monday 31st August) – it’s a mixed bag. The wind is strong, with fresh breezes from the SSW and S, but it’s cross-offshore, so the surf stays clean. The swell picks up to 5ft to 5ft from the ESE, but the period is short (6-8 seconds) and the energy is moderate (232-269). The wind is too strong for a pleasant paddle session – it’s more of a kite-surfing setup if you’re into that.

Tuesday 1st September – moderate offshore wind from the SW, 4ft from the E, but the conditions are described as ‘surfable but ordinary’. It’s a pass.

Wednesday 2nd September – small and clean, but nothing to write home about.

The real standout of the whole outlook is Thursday 3rd September. The morning is glassy – dead calm – with a 3ft swell from the E, a period of 10 seconds, and a strong moderate energy of 269. The wind is light, the conditions are clean, and the long period will give the waves some shape. That’s your best bet for a clean, fun session under clear skies. The afternoon gets ruined by onshore wind.

Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September – back to poor, with onshore winds and choppy conditions. The swell is small (3ft to 3ft) from the SSE, with a moderate period of 11 seconds, but the wind kills it.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off until Monday 24th, then we get a good run from Wednesday 26th to Thursday 27th, with the absolute best being the glassy morning of Thursday 3rd September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest is mostly small, windy, or ordinary.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that Thursday morning.

Rusty.

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