Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's take a look at the surf coming our way.

We’ve got a pretty slow start on the cards. The first window of any interest is around Tuesday morning, August 11th, but to be honest the waves are tiny. The water temp is sitting at 51.8°, which is about 1.4° below the norm for this time of year, so it’s just that little bit cooler than average.

From Tuesday morning the 11th, Clifton Beach will see a pretty sluggish 1.3ft of swell from the SSW. The period is a long 15 seconds, hinting at some groundswell energy, but the combined energy is only 127, so it’s weak. The wind is glassy though, which is a real treat – that'll keep the surface silky. It's surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon picks up a bit to 2.3ft, still from the SSW but with 18 seconds period, and the energy jumps to moderate (333) with clean offshore wind. That’s a better prospect, but still small. The crowd factor is "often" here, so expect some company.

Wednesday the 12th, morning shows 3.3ft from the SSW (16 sec period, energy 499 - moderate). The wind is cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it's marginal due to questionable tide. The arvo gets a bit uglier with 3ft and cross-on wind making it choppy - a definite miss.

Thursday the 13th gets interesting. Morning sees 4.3ft from the SSW (16 sec, 870 energy - moderate) and cross-off wind for cleaner surf. But it's still described as marginal. The real standout is Thursday afternoon: a solid 11.5ft from the SW (15 sec period), with a massive 6467 combined energy - that’s strong stuff. The wind is cross-off and light, conditions look clean. But let’s be real, 11.5ft is too big for most, this is purely for the experienced crew. Not a beginner’s session.

Friday the 14th drops back to 4.6ft in the morning, but with a moderate cross-shore wind making a chop. Not great. The afternoon gets onshore and sloppy. Avoid.

Now we come to the best of the run. Saturday the 15th. The morning brings 3.9ft from the S, 16-second period, cross-off wind, and combined energy of 734 (moderate). The forecast says "very good surf conditions". For a beach break like Clifton, that’s a solid call. The afternoon holds up with 3.9ft again, becoming glassy – that’s a near-perfect window. This is the one to aim for.

Sunday the 16th morning is glassy but tiny at 2.6ft (269 energy). It’s clean, but you’ll be scratching for waves. The rest of the week drops off into small, weak swell. There is a tiny bump on Saturday the 22nd with a 4.6ft short-period swell from the SSW, but that’s accompanied by an onshore wind, so it’s a write-off.

After the 15th, the surf just fades away. The period between the 16th and the end of the 16-day window is mostly small, often under 1.5ft, with poor conditions. Not much to get excited about. By the time we get to the second week, it's really just small, clean scraps, if that.

So bottom line: Saturday the 15th is your day. Morning session with cross-off wind, or the afternoon when it goes glassy – take your pick. The big Thursday afternoon swell on the 13th is for advanced surfers only. Everything else is small or messy.

Stay safe out there.

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