Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on the cards for Clifton Beach over the next couple of weeks.

The short version is this: we’ve got a promising window early on, a pretty dead spell right in the middle, and then a serious pulse of energy at the end that could be the pick of the whole run. Don't get too excited about the long range just yet, but there’s something to keep an eye on.

First up, the standout is Saturday the 15th of August. Get up early. It’s clear, there’s an offshore breeze, and the swell is a solid 5ft from the south with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is sitting at a strong 1121 (moderate wave energy) and conditions are looking clean. This is your best bet for a proper surf. The water temp is 52°, which is about normal for this time of year, so don’t forget the booties.

Later that afternoon, the swell drops to a bit over 4ft but the wind goes cross-on, so it’s a bit less appealing. Still, the morning is the one. The surf break is fairly consistent, but expect a few others out there as crowds are listed as “often.”

Then things back off. From Sunday the 16th through to Thursday the 20th, we’re looking at small, weak surf. Swell heights drop to under 3ft, and while there might be the odd clean morning, think knee-to-waist high and pretty ordinary. The energy readings are mostly under 300 (weak wave energy), so it’s a quiet stretch. Wind is often offshore, which is nice, but there’s just not enough push to get excited about.

Friday the 21st stays small and weak as well. A couple of clean windows, but really, you’re not missing much.

Now for the wild card. Saturday the 22nd brings a jump in swell size to over 5ft, but look at the wind – a strong 25 mph cross-shore makes it messy. Combined with a short 7-second period, this is a chop-fest. The wave state says it all: strong cross-shore with messy cross-chop. This looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Same goes for Sunday the 23rd – the swell sticks around but the wind stays cross and messy. Not a surf day.

Hold on to your hats for Monday the 24th of August. The forecast is calling for a 7ft south swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 2340 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s the biggest push of the whole period. The morning has a gentle offshore wind, and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the other standout—but it's over a week out, so treat it as promising rather than guaranteed. This is a proper groundswell, and that long period will make it powerful. It’s also going to be big – over 5ft, so it’s not one for the beginners, and at 7ft it’s getting into the experienced-only zone. The afternoon sees a 6ft swell with an onshore wind, so the morning is your window.

After that, we fade out again. From Tuesday the 25th through to the end of the period on Saturday the 29th, the swell dies right down. We’re talking under 2ft for most of it. There are a few clean mornings with offshore winds, but the energy just isn’t there. The longest gap with no real recommendations is about five days, from the 25th to the 29th. It’s just small and weak.

So, bottom line: hit the water early on Saturday the 15th for the first good one, and keep your fingers crossed for the Monday the 24th pulse. That’s your one-two punch.

Rusty.

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