Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Conto Springs. This is a reef setup exposed to the south-west, very consistent, and it’s for intermediate surfers. The water is running at 67°F right now, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—feels like a proper tropical anomaly.

The first bit of action kicks off Monday the 10th of August, but honestly, it’s a bit of a messy start. We’ve got a solid 18ft SW swell with a 13-second period, but that strong SSW wind at 28 mph is tearing across it, making things cross-off and a bit lumpy. The combined energy is massive at 10263, but it’s just not clean. Tuesday the 11th is where the real standout sits. Tuesday morning, the swell is still a thumping 18ft from the SW, but the period has stretched to a very long 16 seconds—this is proper groundswell. The wind has dropped to 16 mph from the SSW, still cross-off, and the energy has jumped to 16945. The file says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. At 18ft, that’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a handful. If you’re experienced and you’ve got the right spot, Tuesday morning is the best on offer, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Wednesday the 12th drops to 13ft SW with a 15-second period, but the wind turns slightly cross-on from the WSW, and the energy is around 7225. It’s marginal, a bit choppy. Thursday the 13th morning is interesting: 13ft SW, 17-second period, with a light offshore from the WNW at 6 mph. That’s clean, and the energy is 9577. It’s still a big swell, but the offshore wind will make it glassy. Thursday afternoon gets a little bigger at 15ft, same period, but the wind goes cross. Still, light breeze, so it’s okay.

Friday the 14th drops to 11ft, but the wind is messy. Saturday the 15th is smaller at 10ft, and it’s deteriorating. Sunday the 16th is 10ft to 11ft from the WSW with a moderate cross-onshore, not great. Monday the 17th is a write-off with strong winds and rain. But then, Tuesday the 18th of August is a hidden gem. Tuesday morning, the swell is 15ft from the WSW, 14-second period, with glassy conditions—dead calm, NNE wind at 3 mph. The combined energy is 11293, and it’s described as exceptional for expert surfers. That’s a true standout: big, powerful, and clean. Tuesday afternoon stays good with a 15ft swell and a 17-second period, offshore from the NNW.

After that, the end of the week and into the next week is a bit of a fade. Wednesday the 19th is small at 8ft, and the wind is poor. Thursday the 20th is windy and messy. Friday the 21st afternoon shows a 11ft WSW swell with a very long 22-second period, and cross-off winds from the SSW—energy is 11429, and it’s clean. That’s a promising one for the second week, but it’s a long way out. Saturday the 22nd morning is another standout: 15ft SW swell, 17-second period, with offshore winds from the SE at 16 mph. The energy is 11306, and it’s described as exceptional for experts. That’s clean, powerful, and well-shaped. Sunday the 23rd is still 11ft and clean in the morning, but smaller.

The last few days from the 24th onward look poor—strong onshore winds and rain, with a bit of lumpy cross-shore on the 25th. Overall, the best windows are Tuesday the 11th morning for experts who want a massive challenge, and Tuesday the 18th morning for a glassy, big-wave session. The long-range Saturday the 22nd is also a real contender if the forecast holds. Keep in mind, with these long-period swells, the reef setup at Conto Springs will handle it well, but the beach breaks might be too straight. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have some company on the peak days.

Rusty

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