Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the Clifton Beach stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the water temp is sitting at 53°F with a slight anomaly of -1°F, so it's pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year. A little chilly, but nothing shocking.

We start off with a bit of a flat patch. The first proper look comes in on Sunday afternoon, the 2nd of August. Clifton Beach is seeing a 3ft SSW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, generating moderate energy (454). The wind is a light 6 mph cross-off from the ENE, keeping things clean. This is a good, honest little wave for a beginner-plus spot. It's a fairly consistent break, so there's plenty of fun to be had.

Monday the 3rd is a write-off, with tiny surf and messy conditions. The following few days are pretty ordinary too, with only small, weak swells on offer. There's a gap of a few days here where the surf just isn't worth the paddle.

We get a bit of a pulse on Friday the 7th of August. The morning sees a 2ft S swell with a long 19-second period, light offshore NNW wind, and clean conditions. The afternoon builds slightly to a 2ft SSW swell with the same 19-second period and a cross-off breeze. The energy is moderate (291 and 326), and it's clean. A solid day for the longboard or a small craft.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, arrives on Friday the 14th of August. This is the pick of the entire forecast. In the afternoon, Clifton Beach gets a 8ft S groundswell with a massive 20-second period, and the combined energy is a whopping 4505. A clean 9 mph cross-off from the ENE keeps it all lined up. This is a powerful, long-period groundswell that will wrap in nicely. The size is pushing into expert territory, so this is for the experienced crew only. The long period will mean long lulls between sets, but the waves in those sets will be well worth the wait.

Saturday the 15th of August is huge, but it's a miss for us. The swell is predicted to be 10ft from the SSW, which is just too big for this break. It'll be a washing machine, so unless you're a madman, give it a skip.

The final week sees a return to smaller surf, but there's a nice note to finish on. Monday the 17th of August afternoon brings a 4ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, a clean offshore NNE wind at 12 mph, and moderate energy (893). The conditions are described as very good. A great way to wrap up the run.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a slow burn with a few clean, small days, but the absolute standout is the 14th of August. That's the one to circle on the calendar. For the rest, keep your expectations realistic and your wetsuit zipped.

Rusty.

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