Chapadmalal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got to be straight with you—this 16-day stretch for Chapadmalal is a tough one to call. We're looking at a real mixed bag, and honestly, there's a whole lot of nothing in the first week. You'll be twiddling your thumbs until we get past the first few days, as the surf is mostly tiny or weak, with a few days that just aren't worth paddling out.

Right out of the gate, Thursday (3rd September) isn't offering much with a weak 2ft easterly swell (combined energy 67) and a bumpy cross-off wind. Friday and Saturday don't improve things much either—the surf quality is poor, and you're fighting windy conditions. It's a slow grind until Saturday afternoon (5th September) where we see a jump to 5ft from the SSW, but the energy is building (combined energy 433) and the wind is messy. This stretch is a write-off for a decent session.

Sunday morning (6th September) brings the first real pulse of size, with a 6ft SSE swell and solid energy readings (combined energy 611). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so the conditions are marginal but rideable for someone keen. That said, it's not a standout. The real headline act arrives on Saturday, 12th September. The morning shows a 6ft southerly groundswell with a long 12-second period and a fresh cross-shore wind (combined energy 1180), but it's the afternoon that gets the blood pumping. A 7ft S swell rolls in with a very long 15-second period, and the energy cranks up to a whopping 1958. The file says the swell is predicted to be too big for the break, but for experienced surfers, this is the session to aim for. That's proper groundswell, all that energy, and it'll be a show—just know that it's best suited for the point setup here, and those long-period swells can make beach breaks a bit straight.

The following morning (Sunday, 13th September) still has some leftover power with a 5ft SSE groundswell and a clean cross-off wind, but it's definitely dropping. The rest of the second week is a slow fade back to small, ordinary waves with a lot of cross-off breezes and very low energy, so don't expect much after that Saturday punch.

The water temp is sitting at 51°F at the start, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year (a 4° anomaly). That's a pleasant surprise, so you won't need the thickest wetsuit if you're getting out there for that 12th September.

So, a frustrating start, but if you can hold out for that Saturday, 12th September, you'll be rewarded with the biggest, most powerful swell of the window. It's the only true standout.

Rusty

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