Cardiff Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Cardiff Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the surf quality is pretty grim for the first few days. We’re looking at small, weak waves, and the wind is all wrong. Saturday the 12th has a light offshore breeze but only 2ft of swell from the SW, and the water is a toasty 73° – that's 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual. The combined energy is a moderate 232, but the wave comment is 'poor surf conditions', so don't get your hopes up.

Sunday the 13th is more of the same, with even smaller 1ft to 2ft swell and a cross-onshore breeze messing things up. Monday the 14th sees a jump in swell height to 4ft from the W, but the period is a short 8 seconds and the wind is a moderate cross-onshore at 12 mph, making for choppy conditions. The energy is moderate at 382. That trend of poor conditions with cross-onshore winds and weak swell carries on through to Tuesday the 15th.

Wednesday the 16th morning is the first time we get a 'marginal' rating. The swell is 3ft from the SSW with a 17-second period – that's a long period groundswell, which should mean some energy, and we've got a light offshore breeze. The combined energy is a moderate 494. It's not a standout by any means, but it's the best looking session in the first week.

The rest of the first week and into the second remains pretty flat and unappealing. From Thursday the 17th through to Sunday the 21st, we're stuck with onshore or cross-onshore breezes and swell under 3ft. The wave energy creeps up, hitting 637 by Monday the 21st, but the wind is still cross-onshore, keeping the surface bumpy.

The best bet in this whole 16-day window looks like Monday the 21st. The morning session shows 3ft of SW swell with a 17-second period. The combined energy is a solid moderate 637. The wind is a light cross-onshore, which is not ideal but manageable. It's a marginal call, but it's the most promising session we've got.

After that, the surf stays small and weak through to the end of the period on Sunday the 27th. There are a few more marginal calls scattered in there, like the 27th afternoon with 3ft and 15-second period from the SW and a light offshore, giving us a combined energy of 553. But overall, it's a lean run for Cardiff Reef.

So, if you're itching for a paddle, aim for Wednesday the 16th morning or Monday the 21st. Otherwise, keep an eye on the forecasts – things can change.

Rusty.

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