Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and settle in, I’m gonna walk you through the next couple of weeks for Clifton Beach. First thing’s first – this is a pretty stop-start run. There’s a big gap of nothing much at the start, so don’t get your hopes up for the first few days.

The first real chance to get wet is Thursday afternoon, the 13th of August. Now, that afternoon is a bit of a beast. The swell is pumping at 12ft from the SW, with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is massive (7207). That’s a lot of water moving. The wind is gentle cross-shore, so it’s clean, but honestly, at that size, Clifton is going to be a handful. It’s too big for beginners, and it’s really only for the experienced crew. The swell direction is SW, which is a bit off the optimum for the break, but with that much energy, there’ll be waves. It’s the standout of the whole run, but it’s a serious one.

The next morning, Friday the 14th, drops back to 5ft from the SSW, with a moderate cross-offshore breeze making it look clean. The energy is moderate (918). It’s a decent option if you’re feeling a bit more chilled.

Then we hit a bit of a lull. Saturday the 15th has some clean 4-5ft S swell in the morning, light winds, and it’s looking good. But the size is dropping. Sunday and Monday are small, around 2-2ft, with some glassy or clean windows, but the energy is weak (under 250). They’re surfable, but it’s more of a longboard or funboard session.

Tuesday the 18th morning has a little 2ft SSW swell with a moderate offshore wind, making it clean. Still tiny though.

Things get a bit more interesting again on Tuesday the 25th of August. That morning, the swell bumps up to 5ft from the SSW, with a 15-second period, and the energy is strong (1140). The wind is light and offshore, so it’s going to be clean. This is the second real standout. It’s still a fairly big wave for the spot, but it should be lining up nicely. The crowd factor at Clifton is often there, so you might have some company.

The last few days, Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th, fade back to 2-3ft, clean but small.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is the big Thursday afternoon (13th) if you’re an expert, and the Tuesday morning (25th) for a solid, clean session. The gaps in between are real, but that’s Clifton for you.

Rusty.

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