Burleigh Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the Gold Coast over the next couple of weeks. The first few days are pretty ordinary, but there’s a real window of opportunity shaping up for the weekend and beyond, especially if you’ve got your sights set on a classic point break.

The opening weekend is a write-off at Burleigh Heads. Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th are plagued by poor surf conditions, with cross-off winds and weak, messy energy. The swell is tiny on Saturday morning, a measly 2 ft, and while it bumps up to 7 ft on Sunday afternoon, the period is a pathetic 6 seconds, so it’s just wind chop. Not worth a paddle.

Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th see the swell picking up, hitting 10 ft, but the quality is still marginal. The combined energy is ramping up (1167 on Monday morning), but it’s a short-period, stormy mess with cross-off winds and rain. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a proper wave for a log or a shortboard.

The real shift happens on Saturday the 11th of July. The morning brings light offshore winds from the SW, 5 ft of swell from the SSE with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is a moderate 502. The water temp is a pleasant 71°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions” and it’s the first time in the run that the wind is true offshore. This is a standout moment. Burleigh Heads is a consistent, high-quality point, and with that offshore wind, it’s going to be clean. It’s an advanced wave, but this is a legit chance for a decent session.

Sunday the 12th offers a fleeting moment of glass, with zero wind in the morning. The swell drops to a tiny 2 ft, but it’s glassy. You’d need a longboard and a lot of patience. By the afternoon, the wind swings onshore, so that window is brief.

The middle of the week (13th and 14th) is flat to weak, with swells under 3 ft and poor wind directions. Don’t bother.

Then, from Wednesday the 15th, the energy comes back with a vengeance. We’re looking at 10 ft swell from the SSE with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is massive (1601 in the morning, 1883 in the afternoon). This is powerful, long-period groundswell. The wind is offshore, too. It’s a big, powerful wave, over 8 ft, so this is strictly for experienced surfers only. The long period (10 seconds) will give it good shape, but it’s a lot of water moving. This is the other standout, but it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on the charts. The following days (Thursday 16th through to Sunday 19th) stay solid, with 8 ft to 10 ft swells and consistent offshore winds, keeping the energy high (over 1100 most days). Crowds are likely at Burleigh when it’s pumping, so get there early.

All in all, the best on offer is Saturday the 11th for a clean, manageable ride, and then the big stuff from Wednesday the 15th onwards for the experts.

Rusty.

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