Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Clifton Beach over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. Saturday the 29th is pretty ordinary with a light cross breeze and a weak 3ft SSW swell that’s got no power behind it. Not worth paddlin’ out for. Then things take a wild turn on Sunday the 30th. We’ve got a big pulse of 10ft SW swell comin’ in with a deep 13-second period, and the combined energy is through the roof at 3685. That’s a serious amount of water movin’ around. Problem is, it’s just too much for Clifton Beach – that’s expert-only territory and even then, the morning light cross-shore wind won’t help. The afternoon though, that’s a different story. The wind swings to a light cross-offshore, the swell drops to a still-chunky 8ft, and the numbers say it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That Sunday afternoon surf is the real standout of the whole run – if you’ve got the skills, that’s your session.

After that, Monday the 31st sees the swell drop into the 6ft to 8ft range, but the wind is messy and the conditions are marginal. Tides are likely workin’ against us. Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd of September see the swell fade right down to under 3ft, with clean winds but no real energy to speak of. That’s a quiet spell right through until Friday the 5th.

Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th bring a bit of lift, with the swell building back to 4ft on Saturday afternoon, but the wind is offshore and clean. The energy is still weak though, around the 700 mark, so it’s more of a longboard or funboard kinda day. Nothing to get excited about.

Then from Sunday the 7th right through to Saturday the 13th, it’s a bleak stretch. Lots of onshore winds, short-period junk, and tiny swell. Most days the combined energy is below 500, which is barely a ripple. The wind is often howlin’ from the southwest, makin’ it proper choppy and ugly.

But then, hold onto your board. On Sunday the 13th of September, the forecast lights up again. We’ve got a clean 4ft SSW groundswell rollin’ in with a long 17-second period and a light offshore breeze. The combined energy hits 1021 – moderate but solid. The model is callin’ for very good surf conditions. That’s a promising one to circle on the calendar, though it’s a way off yet, so don’t lock it in just yet. If it holds, that’ll be a beauty of a morning session.

Honestly, for this stretch, if you’re a beginner, stay clear of that Sunday the 30th swell. If you’re advanced, that Sunday afternoon is your best shot. The rest of the window is a lot of small, clean but weak days, or blown-out mess.

Rusty.

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