Burleigh Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, with a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks at Burleigh Heads have a bit of a split personality. We've got a pretty quiet stretch coming up right away, but there's a big pulse of energy brewing for the second week that's got my attention. The water temp is sitting at 70°F, which is pretty much spot on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Looking at the immediate forecast, we're in a bit of a lull. Thursday the 9th through to Wednesday the 15th of July is a pretty flat and messy run. The swell is small, mostly below 3ft, and the wind is often cross-off or cross-on, not making for any kind of quality session. The combined energy is weak, hitting values like 78 (on the 13th), so it's really not worth paddling out for. The best of this quiet period is probably Saturday the 11th morning, where we get a glassy 5ft SSE swell with the combined energy at 580. It's an option, but it's a small one. The scores are low, and it's just not a standout.

Now, things change on Thursday the 16th of July. This is the one we're waiting for. The swell jumps up to 10ft from the S, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 1462. That's moderate, but it's a real step up. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSW, and the forecast says it's "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" – and I agree. At 10ft, this is expert territory, and the long period groundswell will be wrapping nicely into the point. This is the standout of the whole window. The crowds will be likely given the quality, but for a good surfer, this is the best on offer.

The swell then builds even more on Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, hitting 13ft, but the wind cranks up to 25 mph from the SSE. The combined energy rockets to 6964 on the 18th morning, which is very strong, but that wind is going to make it a battle. The setup at Burleigh Heads, being a point, will handle it better than a beach, but with that much wind, it might be more of a kite session than a classic paddle session. The quality drops off for pure surfing.

After that big pulse, we settle back down. Sunday the 19th still has a solid 8ft SSE swell, but the wind is still a moderate 15-16 mph. The following Monday the 20th has a morning window with a clean 5ft SSE swell and a light offshore from the SSW, which could be a nice, smaller follow-up session. After that, from the 21st onwards, it fades back into very small, ordinary conditions.

So, my call? Don't bother with the first week. The absolute standout is Thursday the 16th of July morning for the experienced crew. Saturday the 18th morning has the size for the experts, but the wind is a real issue. Monday the 20th morning is a nice, smaller option for the clean-up.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more