Clifton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's cookin' at Clifton Beach over the next two weeks. It's a bit of a rollercoaster, so strap in.

The early part is sleepy. The first real sniff of a surf comes on the afternoon of Monday the 3rd of August. It's glassy out there, but the swell is a tiny 1ft from the SSW, with a long 13-second period. There's a bit of energy (100) but it's just not enough to get the heart pumpin'. The water temp is about 53°F, which is a touch colder than average for this time of year.

Tuesday the 4th, we get a little pulse from the SE in the afternoon with a short period, but the wind is all over the place. Wednesday morning the 5th is glassy again with a 0.7ft SSW groundswell from a super long 19-second period, pushing some moderate energy (150). It's a tease, but you'll be waiting for a set.

The real window opens up on the morning of Saturday the 8th of August. Clifton is showing a clean 2ft SSW swell, 16-second period, with a fresh offshore wind from the north at 12 mph. The energy is up to 289. This is the best on offer in the first week. The wind will make it clean, and the long period will give the waves some punch. The crowds will be possible here, as it's a fairly consistent break for a south swell.

Sunday the 9th, the wind stays offshore, but the swell drops back to 1ft and the energy fades.

Then we hit a rough patch. From late Sunday through the middle of the next week, the wind gets nasty. Monday the 10th, the swell bumps up to 3ft and then 4ft, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making a mess. The energy is high (534 and 917), but with that wind, you're better off with a kite than a paddle. It's a choppy, blown-out mess.

The next runner is the morning of Tuesday the 11th of August. We've got a clean 4ft SSW swell, 17-second period, with a moderate offshore wind from the north at 16 mph. The energy is pumping at 804. This is a solid groundswell, and the offshore wind is a huge plus. The report says "marginal" due to tide, but this is the best-looking swell of the period. It's a solid wave, good for the average surfer, but the long period means it'll be a bit more lined up. I'd call this a standout.

Wednesday the 12th morning keeps the offshore flow with a 4ft SSW swell, 17-second period, and energy at 869. The afternoon gets bigger, hitting 5ft with a 19-second period and energy up to 1642. The wind is a strong offshore, which is great for the face, but the report says it's "hard to paddle into." That's a warning for the experts only. The sets will be long and powerful, and the crowd will be on it.

Thursday the 13th morning brings a clean 3ft SSW swell with a 17-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze. Energy is 522. The afternoon gets blown out by a near gale from the SSW, so get in early.

After that, the wind goes onshore or cross-shore for a few days. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are messy, with bumpy conditions.

The final week, we've got a pulse on the 17th of August Monday morning. A 5ft S swell, 17-second period, and energy at 1832 – that's a lot of power. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it's clean enough. The long period might make it a bit straight at the beach, but Clifton should handle it. This is a promising one for the second week, but it's a long way out, so don't plan your life around it yet.

Best Bets: The morning of Saturday 8th August is the pick for clean, small waves. For a bigger, more powerful session, the morning of Tuesday 11th August and Wednesday 12th August are the ones to mark. The 12th afternoon is for the brave.

Rusty.

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