Burleigh Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up. Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it.

We’ve got a bit of a slow burner on our hands for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a fairly long stretch of small, average conditions before a proper late-winter pulse of energy arrives right at the end of the window. The first real chance of a wave comes on Monday the 17th, but honestly, it’s a bit of a write-off for a paddle. The swell is 7ft from the SE, but with a short period of 8 seconds and a moderate cross-shore wind, it’s just a messy, choppy affair. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about 1° cooler than usual for this time of year, so nothing too wild there.

Tuesday the 18th isn’t much better with similar size and wind, but keep an eye on Tuesday afternoon. The wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SSE, and the swell bumps up to 7ft. The energy is moderate (608), and it cleans right up. It’s still a short-period SE swell, so it won’t have that grunty, lined-up feel, but it’ll be a hell of a lot cleaner than the morning.

The real standout of this entire outlook is Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. This is the one to clear your calendar for. Burleigh Heads is the spot. We’re looking at 6ft of swell, still from the SSE, but the period jumps to 11 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is strong (845). More importantly, the wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze at 15 km/h, keeping the face of the wave clean. The water temp is still that 68°. This is the best wave of the forecast period, no question. The swell direction is a perfect match for the point, and the consistency is there. Just be aware that this spot can get crowded, so get in early.

After that, it drops off a cliff. From Thursday morning the 20th through to the end of the month, it’s a long, flat stretch. The swell drops below 5ft, the periods get short, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore from the north. There are a few glassy moments – like Thursday afternoon the 20th with a glassy 5ft wave, and Wednesday morning the 26th with a glassy 3ft wave – but the swell is tiny and weak, so it’s not worth a trip. You’d be scratching for anything.

The action returns at the very end of the window. Saturday the 30th of August starts to build, but it’s still marginal. The big one to watch is Monday the 1st of September. This is a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in. We’re looking at a solid 10ft swell from the SSE on Monday afternoon, with a moderate cross-offshore wind. The energy is very strong (1236). That’s a big, powerful swell. However, the period is a short 8 seconds, and the swell is big. At over 8ft, this is a day for experts only. It’s going to be a heavy, powerful, and potentially closed-out bank. The wind keeps it clean, but the size and short period mean it’s not for the faint of heart. Tuesday the 1st of September still has a solid 7ft from the SE in the morning, but the wind turns cross-shore by the afternoon, making it choppy.

So, to sum it up: Wednesday 19th is the absolute winner. Monday 1st of September is the big, heavy, expert-only option if you’re brave. The rest is a long, flat gap.

Rusty.

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