Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a mixed bag coming up at Clifton Beach, with a real kicker waiting for us if we can be patient.

The overall pattern shows a solid pulse of groundswell arriving this Friday, July 17th, and that’s where the good stuff is. The rest of the forecast has some clean windows but the swell is pretty small most of the time, especially through the weekend and into the middle of next week. There’s a bit of a dry spell from around Monday, July 20th, through to Thursday, July 23rd, where the surf is either tiny or messy. But then things look like they might get interesting again for the last few days of July and into August.

Friday, July 17th is the clear standout. The morning is where it’s at. We’ve got a nice 4ft SSW swell churning with a long 17-second period, giving it some real grunt – the combined energy is a solid 888 (moderate). That’s proper groundswell. The wind is holding offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, keeping the wave faces clean and smooth. The water temp is sitting at 53°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing weird to report. This is a very good session, just a solid, clean, chest-high day at Clifton. The offshore wind is a major positive here.

Friday afternoon drops off to 3ft, but still clean with a gentle offshore. It’s still good, but the morning is the pick.

Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th are smaller. We’re looking at 3ft to 3ft on Saturday with a cross-offshore breeze, and Sunday is even smaller at 2ft to 3ft. The period drops to 11-13 seconds. The combined energy is weak to moderate (189-277). The conditions are clean, but the waves are just ordinary. It’s surfable, but you’ll be fighting for scraps.

Then we hit a quiet patch. From Monday, July 20th through to Thursday, July 23rd, the swell is tiny, often under 2ft, with poor conditions and mixed winds. Hold onto your boards.

The next real highlight is a big one, but it’s a long way off. Tuesday, July 28th is the standout of the second week. We’re looking at a powerful 7ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1757 (strong to very strong). The wind is offshore from the N at 16 mph. This is a big, clean, powerful swell. Now, 7ft is getting into expert territory, definitely not for beginners. And with that solid 14-second period, it’s a proper groundswell that will have some juice behind it. It might be a bit unruly and straight at a beach break, but with offshore winds, it could offer some great, clean lines.

The day before, Monday, July 27th, is a write-off, so the 28th is the one to circle on the calendar. The following Thursday, July 30th, also looks promising with a 5ft S swell and offshore winds, but the 28th is the bigger, more powerful option.

Bottom line: Hit it hard this Friday morning, July 17th, for the best combo of size, period, and clean conditions. Then be ready for a big, powerful, expert-only day on Tuesday, July 28th, if you’ve got the skills and the nerve.

Rusty.

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