Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and we've got a ripper of a run shaping up at Conto Springs. This is a reef setup that's exposed and very consistent, and it's about to get absolutely hammered by an extended pulse of powerful, long-period groundswell. The water's sitting around average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The kick-off is this Wednesday, the 26th of August, with a massive 16ft swell from the WSW. The period is 18 seconds, dropping to 17 seconds in the arvo, which is a very long groundswell. Now, at a reef, this is where things get seriously good. The combined energy is off the charts, reading 14166 in the morning and 14143 in the afternoon – that's very strong energy. The wind is a cross-offshore, keeping it clean. This is heavy, heavy surf. Over 8ft, this is strictly for experts only. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, but on a day like this, most people won't be game.

Thursday the 27th is still pumping, with a 13ft SW swell in the morning and a 15-second period. The wind is a fresh breeze from the SSE, but it's offshore, so the face will be clean. The energy is still very strong at 6134. It drops to 12ft in the afternoon with a 14-second period, still a solid groundswell. This is still expert territory.

Friday the 28th sees the swell ease a touch to 6ft, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph offshore from the SE, keeping it glassy. The set-up is still a bit heavy for learners, but for experienced surfers, it's a quality window.

Now, let's talk about the standout. Saturday the 29th of August. The morning has a 8ft SW swell with a 19-second period – that's a proper groundswell. The energy is strong at 5344, and the wind is a light cross-off. Then the afternoon gets even better. The swell bumps up to 10ft from the SW, period 18 seconds, and the wind drops to a light 6 mph breeze from the East, which is a cross-off. The combined energy is 5450, and the conditions are described as exceptional for experts. This is the pick of the week. Over 8ft, it's still just for experts, but the wind and swell alignment is near perfect.

Sunday the 30th has a 12ft swell, but the wind swings cross-on, which will mess up the face a bit. It's still a big swell, but the quality drops. The rest of the week into early September sees a mix of cross-on and onshore winds, keeping the surf from being truly clean. The swell stays solid, between 8ft and 12ft, but the wind is a problem.

We then get a bit of a lull in quality until Friday the 4th of September. The morning has a 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and clean offshore winds from the SSE at 6 mph. The energy is moderate at 2565. This is excellent for experienced surfers. Saturday the 5th of September afternoon is another solid option: 8ft from the SW, 13 seconds, and a moderate offshore from the SSE. The energy is 3268, and it's clean.

Then, the second standout window arrives on Monday the 7th of September. The morning has a 12ft SW swell, 16-second period, with a moderate offshore from the ESE at 12 mph. The combined energy is 6481, and it's described as exceptional for experts. The afternoon is the same – 12ft, 16 seconds, and a clean offshore. This is another serious session for the experienced crew. The energy is very strong.

The long-range outlook for Tuesday the 8th of September is promising but less certain. A 12ft swell with a 17-second period, but the wind is a light cross-on, which might keep it from being perfect. The energy is very strong at 8122. The following days see the swell drop off and the wind stays onshore, so the run of quality fades out. Overall, this is a solid, extended period of big, powerful groundswell for Conto Springs, with two clear standout days for experts.

Rusty.

Read more