Burleigh Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the track for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a run of poor surf starting from Tuesday the 25th of August, with small, weak swells and the wind doing us no favours. It’s mostly cross-on or cross, with energy readings sitting in the low to mid 100s (weak). The water temp is hovering around 68°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope arrives on Friday the 28th of August. Early in the morning, Burleigh Heads is looking at a glassy session with a 3ft S swell, period of 8 seconds, and a combined energy of 181 (moderate). It’s surfable, but the conditions are described as very ordinary. It’s a start, though.

Things start to get more interesting over the weekend. Saturday the 29th of August sees a jump in size, with a 5ft SSE swell (10-second period) in the morning, and pushing up to 8ft in the afternoon. The energy is climbing into the 450–539 range (moderate). The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the size is getting into the territory where it’s too much for beginners. The real standout, though, is Sunday the 30th of August. Morning sees 8ft SSE swell with a 9-second period, and by the afternoon it’s 8ft with the same period. The combined energy jumps to 952 in the morning, then a hefty 1048 (strong) in the afternoon. That’s proper energy. The wind stays cross-off, keeping it clean. This is a big, powerful swell, and at 8ft, it’s definitely one for the experienced crew only. Crowds are often at Burleigh, so expect a few locals out there.

Monday the 31st of August hangs on with a 6ft SSE swell in the morning, energy at 551 (moderate), but the wind starts to shift, and by the afternoon we’re back to cross-shore chop. The real quality window is Friday the 28th of August through Monday the 31st of August, with the absolute peak being Sunday the 30th.

After that, we drop right off. From Tuesday the 1st of September right through to Tuesday the 8th of September, it’s a long, flat spell. Swell heights barely break 3ft, and the energy readings are mostly in the low 100s (weak) or even below 100. The wind is a mess of cross-on and onshore, with only a few moments of glassy or clean conditions, but the waves are too small to bother with. This is a solid gap of about a week with no worthwhile surf.

Then, late in the window, on Wednesday the 9th of September, we get a pulse of energy. A 5ft SSE swell rolls in during the morning, with a period of 8 seconds and an energy of 336 (moderate). The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but at least it’s something after a dead period. Still, it’s not a standout.

So, for the best of the best, I’m pointing you straight at Sunday the 30th of August. That’s the day. Big swell, clean conditions, and plenty of power. The 8ft SSE swell at Burleigh Heads is the one to get excited about. Just remember, it’s expert territory, and the crowds will be there.

Rusty.

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