Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down. The first surfable waves show up on Sunday, August 23rd, but it’s nothing special. The real standout is at the back end of the forecast – and I’ll get to that.

Sunday, August 23rd starts with chest-high swell from the SSW, about 4 ft, with a very long 14-second period, so it’s proper groundswell. The wind is light and cross-off from the NW, making it clean. The water temp is 53°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate (844). It’s not huge, but it’s rideable. By the afternoon, the swell picks up a bit to 4 ft, the period stretches to a very long 16 seconds, and the wind goes glassy-light from the NW – it’s clean, but honestly, the waves are a bit fat and slow for most. Clifton Beach is a fairly exposed beach break, so long-period groundswell like this can make it wall up and close out. It’s beginner-friendly, and the crowds are often around, so don’t expect peace.

Monday, August 24th is a step down. Morning swell drops to 3 ft, still a long 14 seconds from the SSW, but the wind is a bit stronger from the NNW. The energy is weak (289), and it’s just ordinary. Afternoon gets messy with a cross-shore wind.

Tuesday, August 25th is small and weak – 3 ft in the morning, dropping to 2 ft in the afternoon. Light offshore wind in the morning keeps it clean, but the energy is very low (205 and 181). Not worth paddling for.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Wednesday, August 26th through to Monday, September 1st, the wind is howling – strong onshore, cross-onshore, or near-gale gusts up to 31 mph. The swell bumps up a bit, but it’s messy and blown out. There’s a solid 7 ft swell on the Saturday afternoon the 29th, but with 31 mph cross-onshore wind, it’s a complete write-off. The combined energy hits 1906, but it’s not for paddling – that setup is more interesting for kite surfing than a surfboard.

Sunday, August 30th sees a nice 8 ft SSW groundswell (17 seconds) with lighter cross-off winds from the WNW. The energy is strong (3128), and the waves are clean. But the wind is still moderate, and the tide might be a factor – it’s marginal. The same for the afternoon, 6 ft and 16 seconds. This is the best of a bad bunch for the first week, but it’s not a standout.

Monday, August 31st drops to 4 ft, still long period, but the wind picks up again in the afternoon to 28 mph, destroying it.

The wait is worth it. Friday, September 4th is the real deal. The morning has a solid 6 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period, and the wind is gentle from the NNW, cross-off. The energy is strong (1701). By the afternoon, it gets even better: 8 ft from the SSW, 16 seconds, and the same light cross-off breeze. The combined energy jumps to 4007 – that’s strong to very strong. This is the best surf of the whole forecast. The waves will be big and powerful, with long clean lines. It’s a standout for experienced surfers only – 8 ft is over the 8 ft mark for a beginner? No, it’s under 8 ft, but it’s still big and powerful. The long period will make it wall up at Clifton Beach, a beach break, so it might close out, but for the crew that knows how to read it, it’ll be firing. The crowds will be likely, as it’s the best day in weeks.

Saturday, September 5th is a letdown – strong wind and small, messy surf.

Sunday, September 6th is tiny (1 ft) and clean in the morning, but that’s it.

Monday, September 7th sees a small 3 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period and moderate offshore wind from the north. The energy is moderate (510). It’s clean, but it’s small.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly poor, with a few clean but small windows. The one true standout is the afternoon of Friday, September 4th – that’s the one to circle. Big, clean, powerful groundswell with light wind. It’s a long way off, so I’d keep an eye on it, but it’s got real promise.

Rusty.

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