Burleigh Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s cooking over the next couple of weeks for our stretch of coast. We’ve got a bit of a quiet start, but there might be a late run of energy to keep an eye on.

Right off the bat, the early days are a bit of a write-off. For the first week and a bit, conditions are just messy. We’ve got a mix of onshore and cross-shore winds, short-period slop, and generally poor surf. There’s a real flat spot from the 2nd right through until the morning of the 12th of September – over a week where you’re better off doing something else. The water temp is sitting at a very average 69°F, nothing unusual for this time of year.

The first real flicker of life shows up on the morning of Saturday the 12th of September. The wind will be light and cross-offshore, making for clean conditions at Burleigh Heads. We’re looking at tiny 2ft of swell from the SSE, with a period around 10 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 106, so don’t expect much push. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary – a knee-high dribbler on the points. Maybe a longboard session if you’re desperate.

Things pick up a notch from the 13th into the 16th, but the wind stays a problem – mostly cross-on or onshore. However, the morning of Wednesday the 16th of September is a standout. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the ENE, with a combined energy of 381, which is moderate to strong. The wind is light and cross-on, but the bigger issue is the period is short at 7 seconds – so it’s a bit of a choppy, wind-swell mess. It’s a marginal call, but the size is there.

The best bet in the whole run looks like Thursday the 17th of September. The morning at Burleigh Heads should see clean, cross-offshore winds from the SSE at 16 mph. The swell holds at a solid 5ft from the ENE with an 8-second period, and combined energy at 319. That’s moderate energy, decent size, and the wind will be cleaning it right up. For advanced surfers, that’s the pick of the fortnight – proper head-high lines with a bit of push. Be aware, though, that 5ft can be a bit too much for beginners, and crowds are often a factor at Burleigh, so get in early.

The afternoon of the 17th drops off a bit with cross-shore winds and a choppier vibe. After that, the window closes out, and there’s nothing showing in the back half.

So, to wrap it up: slog through a quiet first week, keep an eye on the 16th for size, but lock in the morning of Thursday the 17th for the cleanest, most worthwhile waves of the period.

Stay wet.
Rusty.

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