Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Clifton Beach. The next 16 days are a mixed bag, with a lot of small, clean conditions but not much in the way of real grunt. We’ll have to be patient for the best of it.

The water is sitting at 53°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days are all about the small stuff. Thursday morning, the 9th of July, we’ve got 2 ft of SSW swell pushing in with a super long 16-second period. That’s groundswell, and with the NNW wind holding offshore, it’ll be clean. The energy is moderate (192), but it’s not going to get the heart racing. Thursday afternoon looks a bit better with 2 ft from the S and a 19-second period, and the wind goes light N. The energy jumps up to (442), and it’s looking clean. Friday is similar, with 2 ft and 2 ft from the SSW, and the NNW wind staying offshore. The energy drops off though (224 and 142). It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

The weekend is a write-off. Saturday and Sunday see the swell drop to 1 ft and 1 ft, and the wind cranks up to 18-25 mph from the N. It’s offshore, but it’s just too strong to paddle into. The energy is tiny (77 and 36). Not worth a look.

Monday the 13th we see a pulse of energy come through, with 3 ft to 4 ft from the SSW and a 16-second period, but the wind is howling from the NW and W at 18-25 mph. The energy is up there (515 and 688), but it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The conditions are poor.

Tuesday the 14th gets bigger, with 5 ft to 6 ft from the SSW, but the wind swings to the WSW, cross-onshore, and it’s lumpy. Energy is strong (1696 and 1290), but it’s a kite-surfing day, not a paddle-surfing day. The surf quality is poor.

We get a little window Wednesday the 15th. The swell drops to 4 ft in the morning, still from the SSW, and the wind goes light NNW, cross-offshore. The energy is solid (605) and it’s clean. The afternoon is even smaller at 3 ft from the S, but the wind is light and the conditions are clean. This is a solid, clean option if you’re desperate for a wave.

The next week is a grind. From Thursday the 16th through Sunday the 20th, we’re looking at waves between 1 ft and 3 ft from the SSW. The wind is mostly offshore or cross-off, so it’s clean, but the energy is low (111 to 306). It’s very ordinary, surfable but nothing to write home about.

Then we get the standout. The best on offer is Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning sees a 7 ft swell from the SSW, but it’s onshore wind from the S, so the quality is marginal. The real event is Tuesday afternoon. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the energy is massive (5011). The wind is light from the SSE, cross-onshore, creating small wind ripples. This is a big, powerful swell, and at 8 ft, it’s for experts only. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

The next day, Wednesday the 22nd, is still good. The swell drops to 5 ft from the S, but the wind turns offshore from the N, light, and it’s clean. The energy is still strong (918). That afternoon, it goes glassy with 4 ft from the S. That’s a beautiful afternoon session.

After that, it fades out again. The last few days of the 24th are small and clean, but not worth the drive.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is mostly small and clean, Wednesday the 15th is your best bet for a clean, easy wave. The second week belongs to the 21st and 22nd of July, with that big, powerful swell on Tuesday afternoon being the only true standout. Be ready for it.

Rusty.

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