Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, because I’ve been staring at the charts for Cliffs and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are definitely some windows to get wet.

The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there on the skin.

Let’s kick things off this Thursday afternoon. We’ve got a tiny 2 ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a period of 17 seconds, and the wind is a light NE cross-off at just 3 mph. The wave energy is weak at 237, but with that long period and glassy conditions, it’s a real treat. The waves will be clean and peeling, but don’t expect much push. It’s a classic small-wave board day.

Friday morning gets a bit tricky – the swell is a touch bigger at 2 ft from the SW, but the wind goes cross, making for a bit of a bumpy surface. The afternoon looks better with a light ENE cross-off, cleaning things up again. Still, it’s small and marginal.

Now, here’s the bad news. From Saturday morning all the way through to the end of the month, it’s a rough stretch. The wind picks up hard from the ENE, gusting 25 mph, and while the swell hangs around 2 ft to 2 ft, the cross-off wind is just too strong. The wave energy stays moderate – hitting 409 on the 26th and blowing up to 771 on the 27th with a 4 ft S swell – but the wind is relentless. This is a kite surfer’s paradise, not a paddle surfer’s. The conditions are poor for a clean wave. The combined energy (409) on the 26th and (771) on the 27th shows there’s power, but it’s messy.

After a long gap of poor conditions, we finally get a glimpse of hope on the 1st of September. Tuesday morning is looking good – 2 ft SSW swell, light ENE wind at 6 mph, and clean conditions. The combined energy is weak at 287, but it’s clean. The real standout, though, is Tuesday afternoon. The wind drops to a near-calm ENE at 3 mph, and the swell comes from the S with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The energy is still weak at 234, but that period is going to make those waves stand up nicely on the reef. Expect long waits between sets, but the shape will be excellent.

Into Wednesday the 2nd, the morning holds up with 2 ft S swell, 18-second period, and a gentle breeze. The wave energy is moderate at 343. It’s not a world beater, but it’s surfable and clean.

After that, from the 3rd of September onward, the wind picks up again and the swell drops off, so we’re back to poor conditions. The window is small, but there’s a couple of sessions to get excited about.

Rusty.

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