Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let's have a look at what's cooking for Clifton Beach. Not the most consistent start, I gotta be straight with you. We've got a 16-day window here, but there's a fair bit of grovelly stuff and messy wind to wade through before we get to the real goodies. The heavy stuff comes in late, so keep your eyes on the calendar.

The first bit of worthwhile surf is on the 30th, but honestly, it's a bit of a mixed bag. We're looking at a solid 8ft SW swell that packs a punch, with the combined wave energy hitting a hefty 3047. That's a lot of power, but it's crossed up with a WSW wind at 9 mph, so it's going to be a bit of a battle. The water temp is sitting at 53°F, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year. Not the best to start.

Now, Monday the 31st is where things get interesting. The morning session is looking choice. The swell drops a touch to 8ft from the SW, but the kicker is the wind – glassy, dead calm. The wave energy is still strong at 2647, and with a 14-second period, you're getting long, grinding lines. This is proper groundswell, best for a point or reef, but even at Clifton, if it's clean, it'll be on. The afternoon stays glassy with a smaller 4ft SSW swell and a very long 18-second period, energy at 1463. That long period might make it a bit straight at the beach, but if you snag a set, it'll be a dream to paddle into.

Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd are basically write-offs. Tiny, weak waves with strong cross-off winds. Not worth the paddle.

We get a bit of a tease on the 5th (Saturday morning). A small 3ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, and the wind is offshore from the NNW at 16 mph. The energy is low at 419, so it's not powerful, but clean. A bit of a novelty, but the afternoon turns into a howling cross-shore mess.

The rest of that first week and into the second is full of small, poor-quality surf or strong, messy winds. It's a real dry spell. Skip past the 6th, 7th, 8th... there's nothing to write home about.

Hold on, because the 9th of September is the real standout. Wednesday morning, we've got a solid 6ft SSW groundswell with a very long 19-second period, pumping 2102 energy. And get this – the wind is a light offshore from the NW at only 3 mph, keeping it clean. This is the full package: plenty of size, serious energy, and offshore wind. The afternoon session on the 9th keeps the quality with a 5ft SSW swell, glassy conditions, and that long period staying around 18 seconds. This is as good as it gets in this forecast.

Thursday the 10th has another cracker in the afternoon. A solid 7ft SSW swell, 17-second period, and glassy conditions again. 2296 combined energy. That's proper.

After that, we get a few more decent days. The 13th of September morning looks excellent again: 6ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, light offshore wind. The 14th has a bit more wind but is still rideable.

To wrap it up, the best of the best is Wednesday the 9th of September. Both the morning and afternoon are absolute gems. The 10th afternoon follows close behind. For the rest, you're picking your moments, but those few days are world-class for Clifton.

Rusty.

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